Prediction of the Pink
by Starsabove0oru
Summary: It is said that only Shuichi can reunite the five realms, bringing peace to all. Can he balance an unfulfilled prophecy and his need for Yuki? Or will he be hopelessly conquered by his destiny?
1. Prologue

**Ummm, I had to edit this part. Thanks Xelena, for telling me my mistake. And to Bluumberry, from now own a large percentage of the story will take place in the Demon Realm, so you don't have to worry about the confusion.**

**To Tsugath-yes there will be more Yuki action. Always! **

**To ChibiChimp- I'm really glad you like it & there'll be more cute moments for you to enjoy!**

**To panatlantic- Ironically enough, I never even knew Michael or Judy existed until I read about three weeks ago. (And knowing me, I'm probably not even using "ironically" in the correct context... Oh well.)**

**I'm ecstatic that you guys like my fic! Thank you so much!**

_**PROLOGUE: AND SO… THE DEMON MET HIS ANGEL**_

Shindou Shuichi was sitting on his mother's bed watching the magical show before him. A small child of eight, he was adored and frequently called "sweet" or "cute". He had short, messy pink hair and intense purple eyes that only matched one demon on the entire planet: his father.

The servants had prepared this show for him. The lesser demons were his friends. Because he treated his servants with respect, they gave him the same honor, which was why he was getting special treatment today.

The show Shuichi was watching was a humorous tale of two rabbit demons trying to outsmart the cunning wolf demon that wanted to eat them. This tale was a continuation of previous shows his creative servants had conjured up for him.

"Oh no!" Shuichi stood up excitedly on his mother's fluffy white bed and began to jump up and down. "Run away! Run away! He brought his pack with him!" As if hearing his call, the two small rabbits hopped into a nearby hole, which was a fox demon's den. "I sure hope the fox doesn't eat them…"

Shuichi himself was a half-demon. His mother was Lady Seki, a famous miko and a tajiya throughout Japan. Her slaying techniques were rare and she was often called upon to exterminate demons. Her marriage to Lord Shindou appalled the country of Japan. Both demons and humans (who knew that demons existed) hated her now.

And where was Shuichi's father, Lord Shindou? Back in his demon realm, far away from all humans. He had abandoned Shuichi and his mother in their time of need. He _did_ give her a large estate in Kyoto and twenty demons servants to stay with them.

Lord Shindou was a powerful demon lord in his realm. His two closest allies were King Uesugi and King Sakuma. Lord Shindou's closest advisor was Lord Nakano. King Uesugi's nickname was Lord Lucifer. So in other words, Shuichi indirectly had ties with the devil himself. But of course, he didn't know that.

King Sakuma had only one son, the heir to his throne. Prince Ryuichi Sakuma was one of Shuichi's best friends. His other best friend was Lord Nakano's son: Hiroshi Nakano.

Lord Shindou was one of the Elemental Demon Sovereigns. In the demon realm, he controlled the season of winter. His element was ice. King Sakuma was the second Elemental Demon Sovereign. He controlled the season of summer and his element was fire. Lord Nakano was the third Elemental Demon Sovereign. He controlled the season of fall and his element was wind. The last Elemental Demon Sovereign was unknown to all. He or she did control the season spring, but his or her element was also unknown.

Shuichi was thinking about his best friends' last visit to his manor. The trio had spent the entire day playing about the house. Hide-and-seek, karaoke, freeze tag, treasure hunt, and of course training with each other. Training was every demon's top priority. If you wanted to live.

Because he was only a half-demon, Shuichi always had to train harder than Hiroshi or Ryuichi. Then again, considering the fact that Ryuichi was two hundred years old, of course Shuichi looked weak compared to Ryuichi. In fact, the only reason why Ryuichi bothered with Shuichi was because Ryuichi's child alter ego adored him. When the child alter ego wasn't present Ryuichi was his babysitter. Hiroshi was only two years older than Shuichi.

Shuichi thought about his two best friends fondly. He hadn't seen them in over a week and missed them horribly. He heard shouts come from downstairs and then an explosion. The magical show in front of him flickered and then blackened completely.

Any type of magic that continued even though the conjurer was not present was a very rare and ancient type of magic. It was used in ancient times to warn the helpless in times of war. Whenever a magical show goes out without the conjurer physically dismissing it, it means the conjurer has died. Which would explain the numerous explosions and screams Shuichi heard from downstairs.

"Oh… no…" Shuichi gulped fearfully. He looked around for somewhere to hide. Where had his mother told him to hide in times of danger?

_Under the bed! Mother always said that she put a special barrier under the bed_! Shuichi grinned weakly and hurriedly scrambled under the bed. Since the bed was fairly large, so was the space underneath. He found a small box with some toys, books, and a flashlight.

Shuichi began reading the book. He didn't even realize that demons had flooded into the room until he heard snarls. Startled, he looked up, careful not to move. There were fifteen demons in the room and they all smelled of blood.

"Where is the boy? We have to kill them both!" One demon snapped loudly, scurrying about the room. Suddenly, all the snarls hushed. One new demon entered the room. But this one was different from all the others. Shuichi could feel his power. It was impressive. Scary. Extremely scary…

"The boy you seek is under the bed." The demon's cold voice said. Immediately, all fifteen demons lunged for the bed and were simultaneously killed by the barrier. "Serves the fools right. Now then, Shuichi, won't you come out?"

Shuichi was shaking in fear. Where was his mother? Had this demon killed her as well? The demon knelt down so that he could see Shuichi. To his surprise, he wasn't scary-looking. He had whitish blonde hair and black eyes.

"My name is Lord Seguchi." Lord Seguchi smiled sinisterly. "I was assigned to assassinate every living being in this household. I don't usually like killing children, but since you're a half-breed, I'm probably just putting you out of your misery."

"My… my father is going to get you!" Shuichi managed to say.

"Come now. Your father couldn't have any importance in my world. If he did, you wouldn't be under the bed, now would you?" Lord Seguchi raised an eyebrow. The boy's father didn't care about him.

"Ryuichi… talked about you… He never said you were an assassin…" Shuichi sniffed. The demon lord before him narrowed his eyes.

"You know Sakuma." It was more of a statement than a question. Lord Seguchi frowned, closing his eyes in concentration. "This changes everything. What is your last name, Shuichi?" The dreaded question. Shuichi froze. His mother had always warned him to never-under ANY circumstances-say his last name.

"I promise Mother I would never speak it. And I won't." Shuichi narrowed his purple orbs at demon. _Yup, I'm definitely going to get killed now… But… if he doesn't know who I really am… Does that mean that he won't kill me if he knows? Should I tell him? But wait. What if my father is his enemy? Then I'll really be in trouble… I wish you were here with me, Hiro…_

Lord Seguchi uttered a few words and they both heard something shatter. The barrier. Without warning, Shuichi's small body was slid from underneath the bed. "There's no use in you staying under there, right?" He smiled menacingly. Shuichi stood next to Lord Seguchi.

"Enough." A surprisingly cold voice said from behind them. Shuichi's mother, Seki stood there defiantly. Exhausted, bleeding, but amazingly persistent. She was tall with long pink hair and dark blue eyes. Her long, flowing white dress was stained with blood.

"Lord Seguchi, step away from my son." Seki narrowed her eyes at the demon lord before her. She held a bow in one hand and a small red book in the other. A quiver was on her back. Without blinking, Seki tossed the book to Shuichi, who instinctively caught it.

"You're on the verge of death, Seki. Don't you think you should say your last goodbyes to your son?" Lord Seguchi shook his head. "I suppose you want to die. Very well then." He dove forward and slashed at Seki with his sharp claws.

Shuichi held the book close to him, not bothering to look at it. The silver cross that adorned his neck seemed to shake in anticipation. The demon blood in him cried out to be released, unsealed. But Shuichi could never let that happen. Not now, when things were so dire.

"Open the book!" Seki cried out as she shot a spiritual arrow at Lord Seguchi, halting him for a moment. Shuichi obeyed and was amazed to find that each page was blank. "I seal thee away, thy treacherous demon. I seal thee away to Gehenna for all eternity." Seki closed her eyes and allowed her remaining spiritual energy to form a ball around Lord Seguchi.

"NO! NO!" Lord Seguchi roared as his body was transported into the book, which closed as soon as his body went in. Shuichi dropped the book in shock and slumped to the floor. His mother's arms enveloped him.

"You're safe, Shuichi, you're safe…" The only thing that Shuichi noticed was that there was no "we" in that statement. Seki kissed him numerous times and then told him to open the book again.

"Yes, Mother…" Shuichi obeyed, tears falling from his eyes. For the first time, he noticed all the blood that his mother had brought in the room. "Are you… dying, Mommy?"

Seki didn't answer and instead, used one of her special arrows to give herself a new wound. Blood dropped onto the open white page and disappeared. Seki made sure there was enough blood on the arrow's tip and leaned forward to write in the book. She wrote the numbers "666" twice.

The book glowed and floated away from them. "My son, I love you. Remember: never take off your seal or tell anyone of your last name. You will survive, Shuichi, because your heart is strong. You will survive. You will-" Seki, Shuichi's mother, closed her eyes for the last time and her body slumped forward.

Shuichi stood up and watched the dead body of his mother fall to the ground. He began to cry. Wail, in fact. "You must be the brat." A voice said from behind him. "Aw, leave him alone!" Another voice said. Shuichi whirled around.

Two figures stood in front of him. The book was gone. They were both demons and powerful at that. The first had blonde hair and amber-colored eyes that narrowed at him coldly. The second had black hair and black eyes. It was obvious that they were related in some way, because their facial structure was exactly the same.

"Sorry about him." The dark-haired one walked forward, kneeling down by Shuichi. "My name is Tatsuha. And the sourpuss is Yuki. Your Mom called us here to keep you safe until King Sakuma returns from his negotiation trip or whatever. Then we deliver you to Ryuichi. Good friend of yours, right?"

"Yes…" Shuichi was terrified. But then again, his mother did send them. They could be trusted. And these two new beings took his mind off his mother. "How did you get here?"

"Your mother made a pact with us years ago. She killed off ten of our greatest enemies. In return, we have to keep you safe and out of the reach of the assassins. Did you happen to catch one of their names?" Tatsuha asked kindly.

"Lord Seguchi…" Shuichi's chin quivered. "M-mother sealed him away to Gehenna for all eternity… and now… and now…"

"Hey, hey. It's alright. Boy is Tohma going to be mad!" Tatsuha held Shuichi close to him. Shuichi allowed the tears to flow once again. And so their friendship began. Tatsuha and Shuichi became close.

Over the next three days, Shuichi matured a lot. He and Tatsuha buried his dead mother along with the other dead servants in his manor. He learned that Tatsuha and Yuki were the sons of Lord Uesugi. He learned that Yuki was first in line to the throne and that Tatsuha was third. Shuichi felt as if he had a special connection with Yuki, even though he hardly spoke to Shuichi.

Tatsuha placed a special spell on two ordinary twin daggers. They each had a black hilt with a crystal in the middle and each blade had a ruby, an emerald, and a sapphire embedded in it. "To protect you from harm." Tatsuha grinned as he placed them in the boy's hands.

Tatsuha and Shuichi spent plenty of time together, talking and having fun. "I never thought the son of the devil would be so nice." Shuichi had grinned happily. The pain of losing his mother had almost diminished.

Then, on the third day, Tatsuha and Yuki had to leave. Shuichi was slightly saddened, but Tatsuha promised that they would see each other again because he had ties with Ryuichi. "Brat." Yuki spoke up and Shuichi looked up at him in shock. "I hope to see you again one day, resilient one. You have potential."

Shuichi gasped in surprise. Lord Yuki was complimenting him? Was it the Apocalypse? Even Tatsuha looked surprised. "Seems you took a liking to Shuichi, huh?" Tatsuha grinned as Yuki gave him an annoyed look. Shuichi closed his purple orbs for a moment and then opened them. He saw two words in his head.

'Marriage' and 'Yuki' were the two words that seemed to implant themselves in Shuichi's head. He opened his eyes, staring intently at the first-born son of the devil, Yuki. "I'm going to marry you, one day." Shuichi said simply.

A beeping sound was heard. "We're late. See you, Shu-chan!" Tatsuha and Yuki vanished, leaving Shuichi alone in the manor. King Sakuma was to pick him up soon. But something went wrong. The hands of fate went counterclockwise.


	2. Chapter 1: How Fate Went Counterclockwis...

**Ummm... I don't own Gravitation.**

Umm... What did you mean Aisha-Ya by "oh please do make it so anyone can review, b/c it sucks to log on and to have little reviews" Forgive me for sounding like a clueless pothead, but you clarify that? (Oh and thanks for all the reviews everyone)

_**CHAPTER ONE:**_

_**HOW FATE WENT COUNTERCLOCKWISE**_

Shindou Shuichi ran through the streets of Tokyo hurriedly. He was late. Being late to work was bad. Especially when your boss was impatient. He finally found his way to the familiar abandoned alley. Uttering the words for the spell, he passed through the wall and into the half-demon territory.

The half-demon territory was where most half-demons lived. Not only that, but this was the only realm where both humans and demons could mingle together. This made it a very dangerous place. But it was home to Shuichi.

Shuichi wore a long black coat with a pink belly shirt and tight black leather pants. His elegant silver cross lay on his neck and his daggers were attached to the waistband of his jeans, hidden by the jacket.

Shuichi swiftly dodged all the demons, half-demons, humans, and all the other creatures in the dirty street. He found the huge, expensive building in the middle of the same street. It was a white, looming building with stylish designs all over it. As he began to walk up the steps, he saw a tiny human child sitting on the steps alone.

The place where Shuichi worked was not for little children. They treated everyone who was weak as if they were bugs, only to be squashed. Children couldn't defend themselves against the wicked minds of adults. Heck, the same thing had almost happened to Shuichi.

_If it weren't for Ryuichi, I'd be…_ Shuichi shuddered in fear. He knew what went on inside the ominous building. Why so many men and women went in restless and came out satisfied. It sickened him to the worst degree, because he was a part of it. He was a part of their pleasure.

Shuichi broke out of his thoughts as he came into proximity to the human boy. "Umm, are you here by yourself?" Shuichi crouched down by the small child. He was frail for his age with messy blonde hair and wore black shades.

"My name's Michael!" The boy grinned at him happily. "Daddy went in to talk to the owner of this place." Michael wore a blue hat on backwards, a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers.

_A human went in to talk to Ryuichi? I sure hope he has reinforcements… Ryuichi will be pissed off enough, because I'm late…_ Shuichi sighed, sitting down to the small child, this Michael. They sat together in silence, watching the beings walk in and out, giving them odd stares.

That was because Shuichi was usually inside the building. _A supplier can't do too much good if he's on the outside of the building, now can he? Since I've been here since I was ten, I suppose I'm as much their "regular" as they are mine…_ The pink-haired boy sighed.

"Your eyes look familiar." Michael said out of the blue. "Daddy says I should always remember where I am and who I'm with. You remind me of a demon lord I met once. Except he was a lot scarier."

Shuichi nearly froze when Michael said this. Who was his father, that Michael had met a demon lord at such an age? "I wouldn't know. I don't know my father and my mother is dead." He said, trying to avoid Michael's statement. "How old are you?"

"Five!" Michael squealed proudly, throwing himself in Shuichi's lap. Shuichi smiled softly and ruffled the boy's gold locks. _Gold locks…_ That reminded Shuichi of someone, but he couldn't remember for some odd reason.

"Corrupting little boys now, Shu-chan?" A cold voice said from in front of them. Shuichi froze. It was Taki Aizawa. One of Shuichi's "regulars". He loved to torment Shuichi. And of course, Shuichi couldn't defend himself against the bully. "Leave the brat and come inside. I didn't come all the way from Demon Realm to watch you baby-sit."

"You're Lord Aizawa." Michael said matter-of-factly. "I wonder what your father would say if he knew _you_ were here at a place like this!" Shuichi blushed slightly. The kid was so sharp it was scary.

"How do you know me, brat?" Taki glared at Michael. "You think I'm going to this from a human? I'll smear these steps with your blood!" He leapt at Michael.

Shuichi instinctively grabbed Michael and jumped out of the way. Shuichi drew his twin daggers, ready to fight if necessary. "I'll protect you, Michael." He said seriously. Michael looked at him gratefully.

"Excuse me?" Taki almost burst out laughing. "You can't attack me! I'm the customer. Or did you forget this?"

"Technically, I'm not. Because we're not _inside _the building. You should know the rules by now, Taki. We've been doing this for almost ten years now." Shuichi said coldly. It was true. Taki knew who Shuichi _really_ was and came at least three times a week, just to torture him, just to gloat. Because Taki would never help.

"You think you can take me on, half-breed? I've got a couple hundred years on you. We _both_ know I'm stronger." Taki laughed.

"He might not be strong enough." A cool tone said from behind them. "But I am." Shuichi and Michael whirled around. Ryuichi! He stood there angrily, glaring at Taki. "Get out of here. _Now._" Taki took off.

A figure emerged from behind Ryuichi, bearing a huge gun. He had long blonde hair in a ponytail and wore black shades, just like Michael. He wore a black suit with a white undershirt. "Nice to meet you, Shuichi." The man smiled. "I see you met my son. You can call me 'K'."

"Ryuichi, what's going on?" Shuichi ignored this "K". Ryuichi turned and gave Shuichi a small smile and a pat on the head.

"Remember how I told you fate went counterclockwise years ago?" Ryuichi said, with some bitterness in his voice. "Well it seems we've met the man who can fix our clock." He gestured to K. "He's our ticket out of this dump."

"Really?" Shuichi's eyes shone with excitement.

"Yes, yes. But on the way to the border, I'll need to know _everything _that happened to you. Need to get my facts straight for Judy." K grinned and hoisted his large gun on his left shoulder. "Let's go, shall we?"

And so, K led the way, with Ryuichi close behind. Michael was on Shuichi's back, chatting happily about the Demon Realm. Shuichi couldn't believe it. After ten years of living in this hellhole, he was finally getting out. Things were finally looking up for Shuichi. Hopefully, K knew how to fix a clock…

K led them to his large limo. As Shuichi and Michael stuffed themselves with food, Ryuichi began to tell K what had happened on that fatal day, ten years ago. "My father was supposed to pick Shuichi up and bring him to Demon Realm. But he made the largest mistake of his life. There are two things that my father fears: rebellion and myself.

"I was always stronger than my father and everyone knew it. He's a coward. He also hates half-demons. So he figured he could kill two birds with one stone. He hired some idiotic demons to kidnap Shuichi and bring him to the half-demon realm. He knew I would go off and find him on my own.

"And I did. It took me one week, but I finally found Shuichi. I killed off the kidnappers and we stayed at their place for a while. But the situation was grave. The kidnappers had sold Shuichi into prostitution and they had tortured him to the point where he repressed almost all of his memories. He… he barely… remembered me. The half-demon realm is no picnic. Since I didn't have physical proof of being Prince Ryuichi Sakuma, there was no way we were getting out.

"I succeeded in slaughtering the owner of the house. I'm in charge now, so made sure that Shuichi only sold himself to those that wouldn't damage him too much. It's been that way ever since." Ryuichi finished emotionlessly.

"I see. Well then, I suppose it's time for things to change." K smiled at Shuichi. "I understand both of you like to sing?"

"Umm… yes, we do…" Shuichi spoke up for the first time, nervously fingering his cross. Michael noticed this. "We sing at clubs on Sundays."

"What is that?" Michael pointed to the cross.

"This? It seals away my demon personality, Crimson." Shuichi looked up at K. "I'm not allowed to take this off."

"I know all about Crimson and his… 'deeds'. No reason to explain that to me." K turned to Ryuichi. "I signed both of you up to perform for tonight's demon banquet. You'll be the entertainment. Let's just pretend it's all… coincidence."

"And what is the occasion?" Ryuichi narrowed his eyes at K.

"Lord Shindou turns one thousand today! There's gonna be a huge party! Even I'm invited!" Michael squealed happily. "I can't wait to hear you sing."

"I see…" Ryuichi looked up as the limo halted. They had reached the gate of the half-demon realm. Beyond this gate was the Demon Realm. "Home sweet home." He said as the limo passed through the grand black gate.

The one thing Shuichi noticed about the demon realm was that it didn't seem like a city slum. The streets were clean, the people were clean, the buildings were clean… and everything looked rich. It was quite intimidating for poor Shuichi.

The limo pulled up to a small silver gate that magically opened for them. They began to drive up the longest driveway Shuichi had ever seen in his life. They passed numerous courtyards, hot springs, gardens, a forest, and even a lake.

Finally, they reached the mansion. Three looming skyscrapers surrounded the mansion, making it seem more like a fortress. "We're not going in the manor itself yet." K spoke as he stepped outside the limo. "The servants are preparing for the banquet. We will go to the tower directly behind the manor."

Ryuichi got out next, helping Shuichi out. Michael instantly jumped on Shuichi's back. K led the way and they followed. As Shuichi passed the house, he looked up into one of the many windows. A tall being, most likely a demon, stared down at him with cold amber eyes. Shuichi forced himself to look away.

"Let's move, Shuichi." K called inside the tower. Shuichi obeyed, running inside, happy to avoid the stranger's cold eyes. _But… was he a stranger? Did I ever meet him? Or maybe… I forgot him along with everything else… Sometimes… I wish I could remember…_

"Now then Shuichi. Ryuichi tells me you've done many duets together and it would be best if you picked the song. Which song?" K was sitting behind a desk, holding a clipboard. Ryuichi was sitting in front of the desk, in a large comfortable chair. Shuichi took one of the seats next to him, looking around.

The inside of the tower was spacious and seemed to reach the heavens. The walls were black and there were many floors above the one Shuichi was on now. "This tower is where Lord Shindou conducts his business." K explained, gesturing to the room. "Now then, could you answer my question?"

"Umm… Ryuichi, how about 'Rage Beat'? It's my favorite…" Shuichi blushed slightly. "How many demons are going to be there?"

"Oh, not just demons. Just about every being in the book will be there. From phantoms to pixies. From fire demons to fairies." K smiled broadly. "I'm sure you'll be fine. I've watched you sing before. You have talent."

"Oh… thank you…" Shuichi smiled slightly.

"Good. You've chosen a song. Keep in mind, you'll only be a part of the act so you won't be entertaining them for the whole time. You have to make an excellent first impression. No matter _who_ you see." K stood up. "I need to talk things over with my wife. I'll be back in about three hours. Michael, show them around the more… secluded areas of Lord Shindou's property."

K left the building hurriedly. Michael turned to Shuichi, smiling. "I'm sure Prince Ryuichi remembers this place, so it won't be any fun bringing him. Go wherever you want, but make sure no one sees you." Michael nodded wisely.

"Am I to take orders from a human child?" Ryuichi narrowed his eyes, obviously offended by the boy's words. Michael showed no fear.

"Ryuichi, I'm sure he meant well." Shuichi put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Now, Michael. Where should we go first?"

"Well… let's go to the gardens. They have a maze and lots of tasty fruits to eat and a really cool fountain!" Michael grabbed onto Shuichi's hand. "See you later, Prince Ryuichi!" Michael all but dragged Shuichi out.

Michael and Shuichi ran through the wild fields, playing around until they reached the gardens. The gates opened automatically and the two boys stepped through. Michael led Shuichi through the huge, confusing maze.

"Look at that one!" Michael snatched a flower from the ground. "The pink matches your hair!" He ran around, picking enough flowers for a bouquet.

"Are you sure you should-" Shuichi broke off as an identical pink flower appeared where Michael had taken the first one. "That makes sense…" Michael bounded back with two bouquets.

"One for you. And one for my Mommy!" Michael grinned. "Let's go to the fountain." So the duo took off through the beautiful maze. Shuichi looked around him in wonder. Everything seemed to be perfect: the petal of every flower, the branch of every tree, the leaf of every bush, and so much more.

"It's so… enchanting." Shuichi smiled at Michael, sniffing his bouquet. "Thanks for taking me here." Michael grinned in reply and scampered off to the left, swinging off the vines out of his view.

"Michael? What are you doing here?" A female's voice asked. Shuichi ran over to Michael. A tall female with light purple hair in braided pigtails stood there with her hands on her hips. "And _who_ is that?" She wore a purple kimono with silver dots all over it.

"I'm not telling! Nyah-nyah!" Michael jumped on Shuichi's back. "Run away! She's only human; she can't catch us!" Shuichi obeyed, running away as fast as he could. Which was amazingly fast.

"Those eyes…" The woman frowned, putting her finger on her chin. "I've seen that boy before…" _But where have I seen him?_

Shuichi ran and ran, making various lefts and rights until he realized that he was completely lost. But there was a bench not too far away. He stumbled over to it and plopped down on it. Michael scrambled off his back and sat down next to him. "You're really fast, Shuichi!" He grinned widely. "Lady Noriko is long gone!"

The wooden bench was on top of a small grassy hill with a cherry blossom tree right in the middle of it. The gentle breeze ruffled Shuichi's pink hair. "L-Lady Noriko? Who's she?" Shuichi blinked. _That woman we saw before…_

"Lady Noriko is married to Lord Tetsuya. Lord Tetsuya is a demon lord. They have a girl named Saki. She's a year older than me." Michael frowned. "She's very bossy and if I don't listen to what she says, she beats me up."

"Wait! This Saki… she's a half-demon? Like me?" Shuichi's eyes widened in astonishment. "And she's going to be at this banquet?"

"Of course. Sadly, there are plenty of half-demon haters here. But no one messes those associated with Lord Shindou or my father." Michael said simply. "So you'll be fine."

"Oh. That makes sense…" Shuichi smiled. _This kid is really perceptive. He's too smart for his own good. But then again, I suppose he needs to be. His father does associate with demons. That must be a tough business… And very dangerous, too._ "Michael, did any demons ever try and hurt you?"

"Numerous times." Michael said straightforwardly. "But I'm rarely alone, so I don't have to worry." _Why is he asking me that? I hope he's not tired anymore, because I want to play some more! I'm kind of hungry too… Let's see… First we past the cherry blossom tree, then the mermaid fountain, and then we reach the orchids! Yippee! Fruits are on the way! I have such a good memory…_

"I know what it feels like to be picked on because others think you're inferior." Shuichi said darkly, glaring at the green grass below him. "So… during my stay here…. I promise to protect you."

"Really?" Michael looked up, surprised. "Wow! You're so cool, Shuichi! Does this mean that you're my babysitter from now on?"

"More like… your guardian." Shuichi picked Michael up and put him in his lap. "Let's rest for a few more minutes."

"Aw! But I'm bored! Sing for me, Shuichi!" Michael ordered.

Shuichi blushed slightly. "U-umm… okay…" _What should I sing? Oh boy… Then again, I'm used to singing acappella. Ryuichi and I would sing in bars alone without any guitarists or pianists or drummers. I'll sing "Glaring Dream" for him. That's one of my newer ones. I hope he likes it… _

"**Nigiyaka na hitogomi ni tokeru tsubuyaki ga **

**ashi moto ni chirabatta omoide nijimaseru.**

**Mayoi aruku machi no kagayaki wa (glaring one way) **

**kogo e sou na boku o terasu.**

**Tsumetai toki ga yume o furaseru kono te no naka o suri nukete.**

**Negai kazo e mezame ta toki ni yureru maboroshi ni kimi ga utsuru**

**boku o michibiku kasu kana shiruetto.**

**Nagasareru fuan dake o tsugeru yasashisa mo**

**eien ni mita sareta ashita mo hoshi kunai.**

**Kimi ni todoke ruhazuno kotoba wa (it's talk to myself)**

**kage mo naku hibi ni ochiru.**

**Furueru yubi de yume o kasaneru iki mo dekizuni kuzureteku**

**tashi kana koto futashi kasugite.**

**Nani o shinji reba kimi ni aeru?**

**Shiroku kieteku ano hi no shiruetto…"**

"That was… amazing! Your voice is so awesome! You're gonna be the best at the banquet! Can Ryuichi sing as well as you?" Michael jumped out of Shuichi's lap in excitement. "I can't wait until everyone hears you!"

**So Michael and Shuichi become good friends. Next up on Chapter Two: Will Shuichi foolishly blow his cover? Will he ever remember his life before he was kidnapped? Will we ever find out who Crimson is? Catch ya later!**


	3. Chapter 2: Quirks, Reunions & Preparatio...

**Lol this editing process is taking longer than I've thought... I apologize to everyone who's waiting for my next chapter. But I'm making my along... slowly, but I'm making my way. Lol but I feel bad for not updating, so chappie fourteen will most likely be up soon. **

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* * *

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CHAPTER TWO:

**_QUIRKS, REUNIONS AND PREPARATIONS

* * *

_**

_I can wait… Just thinking about performing in front of demon lords and "half-demon haters" makes me want to puke…_ Shuichi sighed. "Ryuichi is more experienced than me, so yes, he is the better singer."

"Maybe…" Michael shrugged and stood up on the bench, looking around. "Hey look! It's Lord Yuki! Over here!" Shuichi whirled around to see whom Michael was beckoning to.

_It's that man I saw before… But… he's a demon lord?_ "Michael, what are you doing?" Shuichi gulped fearfully. The demon called "Yuki" was tall and had short blonde hair. He wore a long, flowing black cloak. He had two gold earrings in his left ear and three in his right. A woman with long brown hair and light brown eyes accompanied him. _That's him alright… I'd never forget those eyes…_

"_I'm going to marry you, one day."_ The unfamiliar words rang through Shuichi's head repeatedly. _What do they mean? Did I say them? I wish… I wish I could remember… _His head started pounding relentlessly.

Shuichi started shaking violently. His entire body felt as if it was on fire. "Shuichi?" Michael turned to him. Lord Yuki and the woman were almost next to them. "Help! Help! Lady Ayaka, help him!" The last thing Shuichi saw was the woman (Lady Ayaka) running away from Lord Yuki to him. _His cold amber eyes…

* * *

_

Shuichi felt something cool on his forehead. _Mmm..._ That made him feel more comfortable. Shuichi opened his violet eyes and stared into the face of Michael. "You're okay! That's good, because Dad told me to watch out for you…" The blonde boy hugged Shuichi tightly. He then removed a damp washcloth from Shuichi's head.

"W-where are we?" Shuichi was in a large baby blue bed, which was in an extravagantly decorated bedroom.

"Lady Ayaka took you to her room and healed you, even though Lord Yuki wasn't too happy. She's good at that." Michael smiled.

"Why wasn't-" Shuichi gulped. Being on the bad side of a demon lord was never good. Ryuichi had always told him that.

"You've been out for two hours. I had to go find Dad and tell him what happened. Lady Ayaka had to get the potion. Lord Yuki had to watch you." Michael blinked. "I'm amazed that he even agreed to do it. You… you must have charisma. Yeah, that's it. Mommy told me it means something that makes people like you. And I know Lord Yuki likes you, because he sat with you for the whole two hours!"

"Oh…" Shuichi finally sat up in bed. "Where is he now?" He looked around and finally saw Lord Yuki leaning against the wall.

"Now that's you're awake, get out." Lord Yuki said coldly, glaring at Shuichi. "You've taken up my bed for too long."

"I thought you said this was Lady Ayaka's room!" Shuichi hissed at Michael. Then he put two and two together. "Oh. You're a couple…"

"Yup! They're gonna get married in a few months." Michael chirped and hopped out of the bed. "Come on, we have to leave before anyone else sees you." Shuichi slowly followed Michael towards the door.

"Brat." Lord Yuki said coldly. Both boys whirled around. "Why is he here?" Michael and Shuichi looked at each other helplessly.

"Can't tell you!" Michael leapt onto Shuichi's back. "Run and I'll give you directions!" Shuichi complied, speeding off, fast as lightning. Lord Yuki narrowed his eyes at the spot where the two boys had once stood.

_He's too fast to be an ordinary half-breed. Where have I seen him before?_ Lord Yuki frowned. _And that voice of his… It's just as good as Sakuma's. But Sakuma has been missing since…_ His amber eyes widened in realization.

* * *

The mansion was gigantic on the inside. Shuichi passed numerous doors and corridors. Every wall was covered in exquisite paintings, portraits, or photographs of anything and everything. The carpet was a blood red and as soft as wool. 

Shuichi seemed to be running every which way, but he decided to trust the young boy's directions. "Straight!" Michael shrieked as Shuichi almost made a turn in the corridor. It was too late. Shuichi crashed into a door, which flew open. The two boys found themselves flat on the floor.

"How dare you?" A demon's voice said furiously. "I suppose both of you will have to perish." Shuichi and Michael stood up instantly. "Hmm? You're just kids… This generation has no brain…"

"S-Sir Nakano!" Michael stuttered, blushing a bit. "Nice to see you. Is Lord Nakano around?" _I'm glad we didn't burst into someone else's room! _Shuichi stared intently at Sir Nakano. It was almost as if… he recognized him.

"Eh? You mean Hiroshi? Nope, I haven't seen him." Sir Nakano had short blood red hair and brown eyes. "Where is that dopey brother of mine?"

"If he's a dope… Why are you a 'sir' and he's a 'lord'?" Shuichi was confused. Sir Nakano burst out laughing and flung his arm around Shuichi's shoulders. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!"

"That's quite alright. When my father died five years ago, he left basically everything to Hiroshi. He's the new Lord Nakano now. Not me." Sir Nakano grinned. "Not that I mind. I don't have to do any hard work."

"C'mon, Shuichi, let's go." Michael was already outside of the room. "Sorry we disturbed you, Sir Nakano. We'll see you at the banquet."

"Say, have I seen you anywhere, kid?" Sir Nakano asked Shuichi's back. "Your eyes look so familiar…" Shuichi froze and nearly bolted out of the hallway, only stopping to wait for Michael to catch up. _I knew it… That's Manchu's older brother… He has his father's eyes. I wonder how he got here though? Does that mean that Sakuma is here somewhere, too?_ Yuuji Nakano didn't know a lot of things-well that was why Hiroshi was chosen to be a demon Lord instead of him- but he _did_ recognize the former playmate of his little brother. _Shame Hiro can't see him until tomorrow…

* * *

_

"That was a close one…" Shuichi panted and panted as he leaned against the wall. They were now near a huge winding staircase. "That's the way out?"

"Hopefully. If anyone sees us down there…" Michael gulped. "We'll be in so much trouble… Makes me wish we had stayed in Lord Yuki's room…"

"What's so dangerous about a winding staircase?" Shuichi frowned.

"It's not the staircase… It's the demons that have a habit of magically appearing on it." Michael rolled his eyes at Shuichi. "Why don't we jump off the railing?" The small boy hopped on Shuichi's back. It was standard procedure by now.

"I can't fly, but I am good at jumping!" Shuichi cried as he shot off the rail and into the air. He landed perfectly on the ground in a somewhat crouching position. Not waiting a nanosecond, Shuichi ran to the grand front door and swung it open. He ran around the large house and didn't stop until he reached the tall black tower behind it. Once they were safely inside, Shuichi was relieved.

"That was awesome! You can sing really well and run even faster!" Michael whooped and danced around his father's desk. K was nowhere to be found and neither was Ryuichi. "I wonder where my Dad went?"

"He's talking to Lord Sakuma." A feminine voice said from behind them. "I hope you behaved yourself in the presence of demons, Michael." The boys whirled around and saw a beautiful woman with short blonde hair in thin, layered curls. Black shades covered her eyes and she held a cigarette in one hand.

"Mom!" Michael leapt forward and grabbed onto the woman. "Shuichi, this is my mother, Judy Winchester. And everyone calls her 'Judy'."

"Umm, it's nice to meet you." Shuichi smiled amiably. "Does everyone in your family wear black sunglasses?"

"Why, of course!" Judy laughed merrily. "I love the outfit, by the way. You're the boy who's singing tonight, right?"

"Oh. Yes." Shuichi nodded, liking Judy already.

"Oh, you're so cute!" Judy pinched Shuichi's cheeks. "Too bad Michael isn't as cute as you." She ruffled his pink locks and kissed him on the head. "Thanks for taking care of him. If Michael was in that mansion alone…" She shook her head.

"Oh… we didn't run into too much trouble…" Shuichi held his hands up. "He really wasn't any trouble."

"Of course I wasn't!" Michael pouted. "And I'm just as cute as him, Mom!"

"Whatever you say, honey!" Judy kissed Michael on the cheek and gave Shuichi a second kiss on the head. "Daddy will be here in about fifteen minutes along with some servants to prepare our two stars." And with that, she left the now dark and silent tower.

"Your Mom is nice." Shuichi turned to Michael, trying to break the silence.

"What are we supposed to do for fifteen minutes?" Michael shouted. "Hello, I happen to have a short attention span!"

"I know how that feels…" Shuichi mumbled. "Why don't we play a game?"

"And we never got any fruits! I'm so hungry!" Michael whined. "Don't you have magical powers, Shuichi? I know that all demons don't have them… but Lord Shindou is your _father_. So you must have some."

"Well… I can't make food appear out of nowhere…" Shuichi sighed. "But I can control liquids. So just give me a cup or something to put it in."

"So you mean… you can create any liquid you want out of nothing?" Michael exclaimed. "Like water, or a stain remover, or alcohol, or juice or soda?"

"Umm, yes…" Shuichi blinked at Michael. _What's the big deal? It's not like my powers are extraordinary or anything… nothing compared to my mother's. Then again, I don't remember anything about my mother… I do remember all the spells she taught me…_

"So then…" Michael ran to his father's desk and opened a drawer. He took out a mug and threw it at Shuichi. "I want some Code Red Mountain Dew, stat!"

_Oh-Kay…_ Shuichi rolled his eyes. _Now a human child is bossing me around. I really am low on the social food chain… _Concentrating on the four words, Shuichi held the mug close to him. In a small flash of light, a red liquid appeared in the mug. He handed the mug to Michael, who drank it greedily.

"You… must be the coolest demon I've met in my life!" Michael squealed with glee. "You're the nicest, too! I'm really happy you're my guardian now! Your powers are so cool!"

"I'm glad someone thinks so." Shuichi sat down on the ground. _My first admirer is a five-year-old human child who's probably lived around demons his entire life. And who does he pick to adore? A low-life half-breed that specializes in making soda appear in a mug. How pathetic am I?_

"Shuichi, just because you can only remember the bad things they said about you, doesn't mean you were never complimented." Michael said wisely, making Shuichi look up at him in shock. "I know that you had a bad life, but I'm sure that before you were kidnapped, you were happy, right?"

"That's just it… I can't remember…" Shuichi buried his face in his hands. "I can only remember the bad things, not the good…" Tears fell from his eyes and Michael put his small arms around Shuichi's neck, hugging him tightly.

"Shuichi, I promise you'll make good memories here." Michael sniffed, probably close to tears himself. "But don't cry… because you're making me cry. And I'm supposed to be a professional…"

"A professional in what?" Shuichi finally looked up, the ghost of a smile on his face. That ghost quickly faded away as red eyes glared at Shuichi. "M-Michael? Who's that?"

Michael whirled around, his face paling as well. "Lord Manchu!" He cried out, throwing himself on the ground. Shuichi quickly followed.

"That's right. Bow to me, pathetic half-breed." Lord Manchu sneered at the two of them. He had shoulder-length black hair and angry red eyes. He wore something that looked like a cross between a hooded cloak and a raincoat. "Brat, why is this half-breed in my presence?"

"My apologies, Lord Manchu. I am not authorized to tell you." Michael shuddered with fear, still looking at the ground.

_Where did Michael get learn a big word like that?_ Shuichi unconsciously shook his head. Bad mistake. Lord Manchu kicked him in the stomach.

"Did I _say_ you could move, half-breed?" Lord Manchu spat out, hitting Shuichi again. "Insolent whelp!" Kick. Kick. Kick. "That will teach you some respect, won't it?"

"Manchu." A cold voice said. It was Ryuichi! Shuichi looked up at him in relief. "Do _not_ touch him."

"Sakuma? What are you doing here?" Lord Manchu smirked in realization, turning to Ryuichi. "Came back to kill your father?" Ryuichi had Lord Manchu by the throat in a nanosecond. "W-what is this? All this for a half-breed?"

"You will tell no one who you saw." Ryuichi squeezed Lord Manchu's throat for emphasis. "Is that understood? And you refer to me as Prince Sakuma!" Ryuichi slapped Lord Manchu so hard he fell to the ground.

"I guess you'll be at the banquet tonight. I'll let my father deal with you." Lord Manchu sneered at Ryuichi and took off. Shuichi stayed on the floor, breathing heavily. Michael jumped to his feet and Shuichi followed suit.

"Who… who was that?" Shuichi gulped in fear, still shaking.

"That was the reason Lord Shindou abandoned you." Ryuichi snarled coldly. "That was your half-brother, a full-blooded demon. K will be here soon. I'm heading to the left tower to get ready." Ryuichi left quickly.

"Alone again…" Michael rolled his eyes and jumped at Shuichi. "You're okay, right? I hope Lord Manchu didn't hurt you too badly…"

"N-no. I'm fine, Michael." Shuichi sighed, holding the small boy. Without warning, K and about ten demons burst in the tower. "K!"

"Tada!" K gestured to the demons, which were all female servants. "These lovely ladies are going to fix you up for the banquet." K tossed a pair of stylish black shades at Shuichi. "Keep those on at all times. _No one_ must see your eyes." Shuichi quickly put the shades on.

"You look even cooler." Michael grinned at Shuichi as he was swept away by the servants. "See you in a couple hours! I can't wait to hear you sing again!"

Shuichi gulped as the female servants dragged him to the same tower Ryuichi referred to. This one didn't have as many floors, wasn't as spacious, and was extremely bright and colorful. After passing numerous demons, magicians, clowns, musicians and all their belongings, Shuichi found himself inside an extravagant bathroom, locked inside with ten female demon servants.

"W-wait!" Shuichi squealed. The servants were going to… bathe him? Shuichi blushed. "I… I…" _I hope they don't try and take off my cross…_

"Enough, ladies." A familiar voice said from behind them. "You take care of his accessories." It was Judy! The demons scurried out of the room, chattering excitedly. "Okay, Shuichi. Get in the tub."

Shuichi glanced over at the bathtub, feeling a little more comfortable now. It was a huge marble tub with golden handles for the water. He found that the water was steamy hot and there were bubbles, too. He took off his coat and his belly shirt.

Judy saw the peculiar twin daggers on either side of Shuichi's waist. She also saw the numerous scars and bruises all over his upper body. "For protection?" She smiled understandingly, petting his pink locks. "You'll be protected here, I promise. Retribution will be yours one day." He said nothing, took off his pants, and stepped into the tub, sinking in. "Oh I get it. That cross of yours seals Crimson away."

"Umm, yes. I'm not allowed to take it off unless I'm in extreme danger." Shuichi blinked, looking up at Judy. "I suppose… there's no need for words."

Judy knelt down next to the tub, holding a sponge, shampoo, and liquid soap. "Don't be all embarrassed, I've done this before." Judy put the soap on the sponge and began gently scrubbing Shuichi's back. Shuichi distractedly blew at some of the numerous bubbles in the tub. It actually was quite pleasant, being bathed again.

_Again? This has happened before?_ Shuichi thought to himself. He unconsciously winced as Judy cleaned his lower back.

"Oh, sorry! I can be so forgetful sometimes…" Judy smiled caringly. "I'll buy you some candy next time I go back to the Human Realm. Now be a good boy and let me finish up. I know it'll hurt, but the reward is worth it."

Shuichi nodded slowly. _She's so nice… I bet my mother was this nice. If I could remember her, that'd be even better… Ouch!_ He winced slightly as the sponge passed over another sore spot. _But… at least I'll get candy…_

To distract him from the pain, Judy began babbling. "I suppose you've wondered what exactly K and I do. We specialize in illegal activities from all three races: demon, human, and half-demon. I specialize in human affairs, K works with demons, and we're currently teaching Michael to interact and assist half-demons. That's why we made sure he and Saki befriended each other at an early age.

"Speaking of Michael, I still can't believe what a bad influence his father can be at times… Guns, guns, guns! If you name any kind, I can guarantee that one of them has it. Water guns, paintball guns, BB guns, bubble guns, muskets, rifles, shotguns, revolvers, and much, much more…" Judy huffed.

Shuichi smiled softly at Judy as she continued to prattle on about how dangerous guns were in the hands of children and how K planned on getting Michael a gun when Michael turned thirteen, since K got his first at seven years. "It was… kind of a compromise between us…" Judy sighed loudly.

Judy began washing his chest. _Her hands are so gentle… I can't remember a time when someone was gentle with me like this… Well… Ryuichi was always gentle…_ Shuichi closed his eyes, remembering Ryuichi's soft hands washing his wounds. Remembering Ryuichi's hands caressing him. _Always… gentle… and warm…_

"Shu-chan? Wake up." Judy's voice whispered in his ear. "I'm done. I even washed your hair. You sleep like a rock, kiddo."

_Shu-chan… Shu-chan… When Taki and the others call me that, I feel sick. But when Judy calls me that, I feel warm inside… Is this was it feels to have a mother? To be cared for?_ Shuichi slowly opened his eyes, reluctant to leave the warm water.

Judy stood up and tossed two towels at Shuichi. Shuichi stood up and wrapped the larger towel around his waist. He got out of the tub and began drying his hair. "No, no!" Judy snatched the towel away. "Don't touch your hair or the servants will go crazy! Just dry your body off and wait for them. Ugh! I hate forgetting things…"

"Umm, okay…" Shuichi blinked at Judy.

"You're such a good boy." Judy kissed him on the head and sped off, taking his clothes with her and leaving the twin daggers. "See you in a while, superstar!"

_Superstar?_ Shuichi frantically put his shades back on as the servants filed in the room. They all grabbed him, gushing and cooing loudly. He barely had enough time to grab his twin daggers. He found himself in a huge room filled to the brim with lotions, perfumes, clothes of all kinds and tons of makeup. He sat down on the couch and without warning one of the servants ripped his towel off.

"Gaaaaaa!" Shuichi squealed as the servants began rubbing his body down with various lotions and body oils. _I'm going to smell like a perfume factory… Or an oil factory… Or a girly-girl mall or something! I wish Judy were here…_ For some odd reason, the servants knew not to take his shades off.

Before Shuichi knew it, he was in a tight pink kimono with bright blue flowers all over it. A dark blue sash was tied around his waist (which was where his daggers were now). His hair was in two cute pigtails, tied with dark blue ribbons. The servants gloated on about how good a job they did and left Shuichi alone.

Shuichi looked at himself in the mirror. _They turned me… into a cross-dresser… Sure, I've worn girl-like clothes before… But this takes the cake! And what's worse… I've almost fooled myself! Why did my mother have to have pink hair… _Shuichi's eyes widened in realization. _My mother… had pink hair? But… why am I remembering this now?_

Shuichi shook his pink head and drifted back to the couch, waiting for someone to come. Finally, Ryuichi stepped in the room, looking around for him. Black shades adorned his eyes as well. (Remember the outfit Ryuichi wore when he performed in that episode where Shuichi realizes how much competition Ryuichi is and starts to cry? Well, he's wearing that same outfit.)

"Did my mother have pink hair?" Shuichi blurted out. Ryuichi turned his head and looked right at him. Hard. "Did she?"

Ryuichi sat down on the couch next to Shuichi. "Why are you asking me this now?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "We're leaving in a few minutes."

"I just realized… how easy it was for them to make me look like a girl. And I'm sure my father doesn't have pink hair because Lord Manchu's hair is black. So I was just…" Shuichi broke off as Ryuichi put his fingers over his mouth.

"Yes, your mother had pink hair." Ryuichi smiled softly. "I'm glad you're starting to remember. And the reason the servants dressed you up like a girl was because you're going to pose as my 'girlfriend'. It's most likely the only way we'll both get into the banquet. Not that we haven't had any practice." Shuichi blushed a bit. It was true.

* * *

_**(BEGIN FLASHBACK)**_

_A shirtless Shuichi sits on his new bed, pondering the week ahead of him. The sky is cloudless and the sun is blazing. It seems like a perfect summer day in the Human Realm, but it isn't. Shuichi is now old enough to work on his own, without Ryuichi watching to make sure nothing went wrong._

"_I'm ten years old and now I'm an official prostitute…" The pink-haired boy shudders in fear. He had heard stories about what the big demons and men did to virgin children at his job. It was scary. "I can't believe I start tomorrow…"_

"_Shuichi." Ryuichi's voice calls to him from the next room. They had acquired this apartment from the last owner of the whorehouse, whom Ryuichi killed. "Come here." Shuichi obeys, scampering into the next room. Ryuichi is solemnly sitting on the couch, watching the television absently. _

"_Ryuichi, what's wrong?" Shuichi sits down next to his idol. "Are you worried about tomorrow? Don't worry, I'll be fine."_

"_It's not that…" Ryuichi glares at the ground. "Shuichi, I'm sorry I have to do this to you…" He closes his eyes in hesitation. _

"_Do… what? Why are you apologizing?" Shuichi blinks in confusion._

"_Shuichi, do you remember what we practiced before I took you to work for the first time?" Ryuichi's eyes bore into Shuichi's. The small boy blushes slightly and looks away, nodding. "This time I have to take your virginity. If I don't, they will. And your 'customers' will not be gentle at all. Damn it, Shuichi, look at me! I don't want to do this, but I don't want you to be raped either!"_

_Shuichi looks up at Ryuichi in shock. "It's… it's just more practice? And you'll be gentle?" His chin quivers slightly. "I don't have to be scared?"_

_Ryuichi rubs Shuichi's chin softly. "You never have to be scared of me, Shuichi." He leans down and captures the boy's small lips in a kiss. _

_Shuichi instinctively closes his purples eyes, submissively opening his mouth. It is standard procedure for the pink-haired boy. Ryuichi caresses Shuichi's tongue with his, feeling around. Shuichi moans promptly, just as he was taught two years ago. His small hands hold either side of Ryuichi's face._

_It is Ryuichi who breaks the kiss first. Shuichi slowly gasps for air as they both get undressed, Ryuichi stripping quickly and Shuichi slowly, seductively. Shuichi stares up at Ryuichi innocently, waiting for him to make the first move._

_**(END FLASBACK)

* * *

**_

Shuichi shook his head, visions of his dark past evaporating from his mind. "Remembering the good old days?" Ryuichi snorted sarcastically. He stood up, helping Shuichi to his feet. "Remember: you're a girl."

Shuichi and Ryuichi left the room without delay, with Ryuichi leading the way. They walked down the hallway, hand in hand, ignoring the stares and the whispers. They reached an office and stepped inside it, closing the door.

The office had one desk, a chair, one couch, a bunch of file cabinets, and a television. K and Judy were sitting on the chair, talking silently. Ryuichi and Shuichi sat down on the couch.

"Ryuichi. Shuichi. We've had a change of plan. You're going to sing two songs instead of one." K spoke up first. "Some of the other performers… are 'unexpectedly' ill. The more stage time you two get, the better." K whispered the last part conspiringly.

**Oooh yeah! Chapter Two is done! Next up: Ryu's acting weird for some reason, Taki-the-immortal-ass shows up, we hear from Crimson for the first time, Yuki and Shu get some alone time, and they all get to PAR-TAY! **


	4. Chapter 3: To Crash a Banquet

**Hello everyone! Lol _STILL_ editing... Jeez, it's a drag. But someone's gotta do it! I watched episode 61 of Kyou Kara Maou yesterday... Soooo good! Omg, if you haven't watched KKM yet- you HAVE NOT LIVED. And if you haven't seen Rent, you don't exist, according to a good friend of mine. Actually, Rent is an awesome, kick-ass movie. But this is neither a KKM or Rent fic. This is Gravitation! So on with the ficcy! Enjoy!**

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**_CHAPTER THREE:_**

**_TO CRASH A BANQUET _**

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"That's part of the new plan." Judy got off K's lap. "Ryuichi, come with me. I need to tell you something. K needs to talk to Shuichi alone." Ryuichi obediently stood up and walked to the door. "Oh, and Shu-chan? Your name is 'Sakura' for the time being." And with that, she and Ryuichi left.

"Sa-Sakura?" Shuichi sighed and hung his head. K walked over to him and sat down. "So… what do you have to tell me?"

"We've decided that you're going to blow your own cover." K smiled mysteriously. "Judy and I have devised this plan with all the cunning we could. Why not go out with a BANG?"

"As long as there aren't any guns involved…" Shuichi mumbled darkly. K leaned in close to him and explained exactly what he was supposed to do. K made him practice the two words over and over again, until he got them right. As a matter of fact, he made Shuichi practice the _whole_ strategy repeatedly until he got it right.

"You could be an actor!" K said happily, swinging his hand around Shuichi's shoulders. "Now, if you mess this up, I'll blow your brains out!"

_I love how happy he sounds when he's threatening someone…_ Shuichi inwardly sighed and quickly nodded his head, lest he face the barrel of K's gun. "Let's go. I'm ready." Shuichi said seriously, staring up at K.

"Me? I'm not going until later. I still have to get ready. Judy and Michael also have to get ready. Us humans like to be fashionably late." K winked at Shuichi as he shoved the boy out of his office.

Shuichi sighed and looked around for Ryuichi. He was leaning against a wall not too far away. Shuichi scrambled over, trying to run in a girly way and failing horribly. "My name is Ryo." Ryuichi mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Not much of a difference, but most demons would never expect me to wear something like this." Shuichi smiled affectionately at him. They stood there, patiently waiting. (A/N: Ryuichi is wearing the same outfit he wore in Episode 8: Song and Song.)

_Sakura means "cherry blossom". I was near a cherry blossom tree today. That's… that's where I remembered those words! Does this mean that I'm going to see Lord Yuki again? But… I can't marry him… He's already engaged…_ Shuichi shook his head as he heard someone call his name. Or rather, someone was calling out his new name: Sakura.

"Y-yes?" Shuichi looked around for the person calling him. _Oh. I have to make my voice sound feminine… _"I'm here!" _There… that wasn't too hard…_

"I'm in charge of the guest list. You two are… Sir Ryo and Lady Sakura, right?" A female holding a large clipboard dashed over to them. "Okay, that's good. Follow me." The female strode off through the tower, and the two males followed. The female led them out of the tower and into the mansion through a backdoor.

"Go down the hallway and you'll see the ballroom." The woman winked at the two men. "Good luck." Shuichi and Ryuichi smiled at the woman as she sped off again. Ryuichi led the way down the corridor and they stopped at two grand open doors. The loud voices and classical music boomed out at Shuichi.

Ryuichi and Shuichi walked in the room, hoping to go in unnoticed. No such luck. An automatic voice bellowed out, "Presenting: Sir Ryo and Lady Sakura of Tokyo, Japan, the Human Realm." Now the entire room knew they were here. But luckily, most of the demons went back to their business. The celebration was underway and everyone was having a great time, laughing, joking and socializing together. The overall mood was comfortable, with a touch of elegance.

Immediately, a group of vampires came over. "Nice to meet you." A female vampire smiled seductively at both Ryuichi and Shuichi. Ryuichi bowed gracefully and Shuichi followed suit. "Oh? So polite." The vampire licked her lips, staring at Shuichi's neck hungrily.

"It was nice meeting you." Ryuichi said stiffly, dragging Shuichi away to a secluded part of the room. Shuichi sat down in one of the chairs, finally able to take in his surroundings. Ryuichi stood behind him, leaning against the wall.

The room had a huge marble dance floor in the middle and a crystal chandelier above it. The rest of the floor was covered in a blood red carpet. The walls were all off-white. There were three buffet tables on the carpet, one with food, one with drinks, and the last with desserts. Luckily, Shuichi was near the table with the dessert. "Umm, Ryo? Can I get some dessert?" He whispered to Ryuichi.

"We both know you can't." Ryuichi snapped. "This is a formal banquet. Until those who are giving the banquet officially announce themselves, no one eats." Shuichi sighed, already bored. "And another thing. If you see anyone you recognize, say _nothing_. We must do nothing to draw attention to ourselves."

"Oh alright." Shuichi huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. _Why is he so antsy? There are about a hundred other demons in here. And the humans haven't even shown up yet! No one' going to notice us… until we get on stage._

"Presenting: Lord Yuki and Lord Tatsuha." That same automatic voice boomed out. Everyone, including Shuichi and Ryuichi stared at the two demon lords. Shuichi gazed at Lord Yuki, but the second demon lord caught his eye.

_I… I know him!_ Shuichi's eyes widened. _Where… where have I seen him? Why… why can't I remember? Why am I so useless?_ He fingered his cross in frustration. _Ryuichi told me that Crimson remembered everything because he was strong. He wasn't broken like I was… Why does he get to be strong one?_

The two demon lords both stared at Ryuichi. They quickly made their way over to him. Shuichi turned to Ryuichi frantically. "What do we do?" Shuichi gulped, waiting for an answer.

"This is why you're my girlfriend." Ryuichi pulled Shuichi to his feet and kissed him. Hard. Shuichi quickly closed his eyes nervously.

_At least this isn't the first time I've kissed him…_ Shuichi snorted inwardly. _The only difference is I'm doing in front of Lord Yuki… But… why does that matter?_ He sighed, slowly opening his eyes. Lord Yuki and Lord Tatsuha strolled by, watching the two of them intently. _Oh boy… I hope they don't recognize me… But… do they know who I am? Oh well… at least they're gone now…_

Ryuichi finally let go of Shuichi and went back to leaning against the wall. "They'll be back, I'm sure of it." Ryuichi muttered darkly. "Don't blow your cover, Sakura. I mean it."

"Why are you so anxious?" Shuichi snapped out. _He's telling me not to blow my cover and K told me to blow my cover! It's obvious that Ryuichi doesn't know what's going on. But he doesn't have to yell at me. Sure, I can be careless and noisy at times, but this is too important to mess up. Can't he realize that I can be serious?_

"Lady Sakura." A menacing voice said from behind. Shuichi knew that voice from his nightmares. Taki. "May I have this dance?" Taki smirked as Shuichi slowly turned around.

"Y-yes." Shuichi squeaked nervously, trying not to look too frantic. He took Taki's outstretched hand. But then Ryuichi grabbed onto his waist. "Huh?"

"Don't go with _him_, Sakura." Ryuichi scowled. "Stay here."

"Now, now, _Lord Ryo_. All I want is a simple dance with… your _lady_. You don't want to draw _attention_ to yourself, now do you?" Taki smirked at Ryuichi. "We'll be going now." And with that, Taki dragged Shuichi onto the dance floor.

Shuichi kept his fingers laced with Taki's. Taki's free hand went on Shuichi's hip. Shuichi placed his free hand on Taki's shoulder. They began moving with the music. _Hey… I'm not a bad dancer at all._ Shuichi smiled to himself. _I can do this girl thing for a while. K was right. I can be an actor!_

"I'm surprised a half-breed like you can dance so gracefully." Taki whispered in his ear. "Don't worry, Shu-chan. I won't blow your cover. K and I… had a little talk." Shuichi froze. "We both know I like to accept bribes. Besides, K told me you're going to blow your own cover. Then Manchu will slit your throat in front of everyone. I can't wait to lick up your blood.

"Of course, that fool K doesn't think Manchu will crack. But he will. With you out of the way, Manchu will inherit _everything_ from his father." Taki explained softly to Shuichi. "I'll miss you, my dear Shu-chan."

"I'm not your Shu-chan." Shuichi pushed Taki away from him, tears threatening to come from his covered eyes. He slowly backed away, until he bumped into someone else. He whirled around, only to face Lord Yuki and Lady Ayaka.

"Would you like to dance with me, Lady Sakura?" An amused voice coming from Lord Yuki asked. Shuichi looked back at Taki and nodded quickly. "Very well. Ayaka, dance with Taki."

Lady Ayaka wrinkled her nose in discontent, but obeyed, stepping to Taki. Shuichi gratefully smiled up at Lord Yuki. They began to dance together. _He probably won't remember me. I'm nothing to him. _Shuichi inhaled finally, at ease. _He smiles nice, though. And he dances well, too. W-wait… What am I thinking?_

"Care to explain why Taki knows you so well?" Lord Yuki spoke up finally. Shuichi froze. _So the brat chooses to be silent. Very well, I suppose I'll have to get it out of him the hard way._ "I suppose you're associated with K, considering the fact that you're wearing his trademark black shades. So he brought you over here illegally? For what purpose?"

Shuichi felt as though he couldn't move. _Wow… he's really smart… There's no point in hiding it._ "How… how did you know it was me?" He whispered silently.

"I watched you sleep for two hours. I'd know you anywhere, unfortunately." Lord Yuki smirked down at him. "I don't plan on telling anyone your little secret."

"Oh. Thank you!" Shuichi flung two arms around Lord Yuki's neck, literally crushing their bodies together. Lord Yuki froze for a moment and then amazingly put his arms around Shuichi. They were… hugging on the dance floor. And just about every demon in the room was watching them. Including Ryuichi, who strode over immediately.

"Sakura." Ryuichi said coldly. Shuichi let go of the death grip he had on Lord Yuki. "Come with me." There was no room for argument. He was livid. Shuichi quickly bowed to Lord Yuki at the waist and turned around.

"No." Lord Yuki's voice stopped him. Shuichi turned back around, confused. "There's no need to bow at the waist. Just a simple nod of acknowledgment is good enough. You are more eminent than you give yourself credit for."

Shuichi grinned happily at Lord Yuki and slowly bowed his head, then looked up at him to see if he did it right. Lord Yuki responded by bowing his head and then promptly walked away to Lady Ayaka. Ryuichi dragged Shuichi back to where they had previously kissed.

The stares and whispers stopped once again. Ryuichi began verbally attacking him. "Have you lost your mind? That was the dumbest thing you've done in your life. Let me guess, he _said_ he wouldn't blow your cover." Ryuichi snarled, almost ready to hit the boy. "And what did you hope to accomplish by hugging Lord Yuki? He's the son of the devil, you twit. He's not sentimental like you."

Tears filled Shuichi eyes. He was used to other demons insulting him, but never Ryuichi. _Why is he being so mean? So what if I'm sentimental._

Shuichi unconsciously fingered his silver cross, closing his eyes. "He's the _firstborn_ son of the devil, Sakuma. Get it right." Shuichi snapped out, using words that weren't his own. _Thank you… Crimson…_ Shuichi smiled softly. Crimson had rapidly taken control of him in order to shut Ryuichi down. _When it comes down to the wire, Crimson is the only being I can count on. Because Crimson remembered everything. And he's not afraid to let Ryuichi know that._

"Sakura." Ryuichi said in a warning tone. "_Do not let him out_." He hissed angrily. "If you did, that would truly be the most idiotic thing you did in your life."

"Sakuma, I believe my father is ready to announce himself." Crimson spoke, once again using Shuichi's voice. "So why don't you shut up so Shuichi can finally have his dessert?"

It was true. The music had halted. Two demons had strolled into the room. "Presenting: Lord Shindou and Lady Reiko." Lord Shindou wore a long flowing black robe. He had long, sleek, jet-black hair and… it was his eyes that surprised Shuichi the most. It was like looking into a mirror.

_His eyes… are purple… just like mine…_ Shuichi slowly gasped. Lady Reiko was wearing a dark green kimono. She had bright silver hair and blood red eyes that matched, Lord Manchu's. But... her eyes seemed to be sad. And Lord Manchu's eyes were angry.

"Welcome, welcome! I hope you're all enjoying my banquet!" Lord Shindou smiled broadly, his amethyst orbs sparkling. "As you all know, I turn one thousand today. It is a grand day in the Demon Realm, is it not? Now then, without further adieu let us begin!" And with that, Lord Shindou began to attend to all of his guests.

Lady Reiko walked over to each and every demon, ready to gossip. Slowly, demons began forming lines at all three tables. Shuichi practically flew over to the dessert table. There were about twenty demons in front of him. As Shuichi neared the silverware and plates, he instinctively snapped his fingers.

Two plates (each with their own set of utensils) and two napkins levitated over to Shuichi. _How did I... remember? I've done this before? Have I eaten here before? Well… of course I have! I probably lived here when I was smaller…_

"Oh good. I see you've been here before." A kind voice said from behind Shuichi. He whirled around. It was Lady Reiko! "Now, now. Don't look so startled."

"L-Lady Reiko!" Shuichi bowed, this time from the waist. _I definitely do not want to get on her bad side. I hope she doesn't turn out to be an evil stepmother or something like that… She probably is… I have the worst luck in the world…_

"I heard Lord Yuki actually bowed his head to you!" Lady Reiko whispered pryingly in his ear. "You must have extreme importance, for him to do something like that. He's very antisocial. I'm quite impressed with you. Please, tell me your name. You must be quite the charmer, my Lady."

The line began moving slowly forward and Shuichi impulsively held out his hand to each dessert he wanted. Every kind of hard candy, soft candy, cupcake, of ice cream and every slice of pie Shuichi beckoned to magically appear on one of his two plates.

"My name is… Lady Sakura…" Shuichi stared hard at Lady Reiko. _She seems like a gossipy demon. Wonder why my father married her? But… at least she's nice. A little overbearing, but nice…_ "You really don't have to be so nice, Lady Reiko. I don't deserve this…"

"Oh nonsense!" Lady Reiko laughed happily. "Call me Reiko, please!" Reiko selected a lavish fruit salad for her dessert. "Who are you with, Sakura?"

"I'm with Lord Ryo of Tokyo." Shuichi managed to say. They were nearing the end of the buffet line. _Is she finally going to leave? She talks even more than Judy and Michael put together! I bet my mother wasn't as… Wait… was my mother talkative? Why can't I remember?_

"Fascinating!" Reiko leaned in even closer to Shuichi. "Is he your lover?" Shuichi's obvious blush answered her question. "Oh, how adorable! And I can see how you got your cute name!" She ran her fingers through Shuichi's pink locks.

_Finally… we're at the end of the line… Now I can make up an excuse and leave her._ Shuichi almost sighed with relief. "I'm really sorry, Reiko, but I must-" Shuichi broke off as Lord Manchu strolled right past him to see his mother.

"Here's your red wine, _mother_." Lord Manchu spat out, handing the wine glass to Reiko. "Anything else?"

"You idiot!" Reiko stomped on the ground. "I wanted an apple martini! Can't you do anything right? Apple martini! Is that too much to ask?"

Because Reiko was so furious, she did something that shocked the entire room. She threw all the contents of the wine glass on Lord Manchu's suit. "I suppose I'll have to get it myself. Sakura, love, never have children. They're all disappointments!" Reiko glared at Lord Manchu, who was staring intently at Shuichi. Shuichi gulped, getting ready to back away.

"R-Reiko? I can help with that." Shuichi decided to throw caution to the wind. _If I stay near Reiko, Lord Manchu will leave me alone, right? It's perfect. Now think._ _Apple martini. Apple martini. Apple…_ Poof! With a flash of light, a light green liquid appeared in Reiko's empty wine glass.

Reiko gasped, her eyes widening in astonishment. "S-Sakura! You're amazing! What sorcery is this? I've never met a demon who could make liquids appear out of nothing!" Reiko laughed in joy. "You're a lot more useful than my son. Manchu, leave me!"

Lord Manchu glared at Shuichi, but quickly left to clean his suit. Ryuichi casually sauntered over, but it was obvious he was even angrier than before. _Oh yeah… I took off without him before… _Shuichi realized, gulping once again. _Funny… I'm more scared of Ryuichi than my "evil" stepmother…_

"Sakura! Come, join me at my table!" Reiko shouted loudly. Ryuichi almost stopped walking in shock. "Oh and is that Lord Ryo? Will he be joining us as well?"

"Lady Reiko, may I speak to Sakura alone for a moment? Then you may take her anywhere you wish." Ryuichi smiled bitterly, lugging Shuichi away to a more secluded part of the room. Reiko stood at the end of the table, waiting.

"Have you lost your mind?" Ryuichi hissed furiously. "What do you think you're doing? You are not supposed to draw attention to yourself!"

"I didn't! Reiko did!" Shuichi protested. "And she started talking to me first! And… Ryuichi… I started remembering things! Little things, like how to get the food and silverware off the tables!"

"Are you even _listening_ to me?" Ryuichi spat out, slapping Shuichi across the face. The entire room heard it. (The humans haven't arrived yet.) "I'm leaving. I'll see you before we perform together." And with that Ryuichi turned to leave, casually saying to Shuichi: "Our second song is-"

"'Sleepless Beauty'." Shuichi said, in a surprisingly cold voice. "He told me already." Ryuichi turned back around for a moment and then left him standing there. _I can't believe he hit me! Ryuichi never hit me before! What is his problem? I hate him! I'm never speaking to Ryuichi again! But… if I never speak to Ryuichi again, I'll be alone. There's no one else that would care about me like he did…_

As if to contradict him the booming voice spoke up, "Presenting: K. Winchester, Judy Winchester, and Michael Winchester!" All three stepped into the room. K was wearing a baby blue suit with a white undershirt, Judy was wearing an elegant flowing baby blue dress, and Michael had on an identical baby blue suit.

Judy and Michael immediately spotting him near the dessert table, standing alone. But the two of them knew better than to say anything. K, on the other hand, was looking at Ryuichi. Ryuichi stormed right past them, without so much as glancing at them.

Judy and Michael began casually talking to Lord Yuki and Lady Ayaka. K walked over to a handful of sorcerers near the beverage table. Shuichi slowly dragged his feet over to Reiko, who was still patiently waiting. Groups and groups of humans began appearing and the automatic "announcer" never failed to let the entire room know who was present.

"I can't believe that jerk struck you!" Reiko put her fingers on Shuichi's cheek. "Oh, you poor dear!" Shuichi's two dessert plates were still levitating next to her. "Did you forget how to make them follow you?" Shuichi quickly nodded, not feeling very talkative. Reiko waved and the two plates followed her as she walked.

Shuichi quickly ran after Reiko, not wanting to lose her or his dessert. He found himself at a round wooden table where Lord Tatsuha was sitting alone. Reiko instantly sat down next to him and Shuichi nervously sat down next to her. They all began eating silently, until Judy and Michael wandered over.

"Hello! My name's Michael." Michael grinned mischievously at Shuichi. "It's nice to meet you." _Wow… Shuichi makes a good girl… That's so weird…_

"I'm Lady Sakura." Shuichi smiled back knowingly. Judy introduced herself to Lord Tatsuha and Reiko and the two of them sat down.

"So… where's Lord Ryo?" Judy asked casually, but Shuichi almost choked.

"We… we had an argument…" Shuichi glared at his strawberry cupcake.

"And the nerve of him! Some lord he is!" Reiko sniffed loudly, turning to Lord Tatsuha. "What's wrong? Why are you so quiet?"

"Nothing. Just thinking." Lord Tatsuha sighed, looking directly at Shuichi for the first time. "Lady Sakura? Has… is Lord Ryo okay?" There seemed to be an implicit meaning behind those words. Almost like a secret code or something of that nature.

"Huh? Lord Ryo… is fine." Shuichi blinked slowly, not that anyone could see it. _He looks so… so sad for some reason… Did he… Did he know Ryuichi? Does he know me? Did he recognize either of us? I must think… Did Ryuichi ever mention… Oh man! I remember now! Could Lord Tatsuha have been- _

_

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_

**_(BEGIN FLASHBACK)_**

_The stars twinkle at Shuichi, who is now a boy of twelve. He is sitting on a chair, which is on the terrace of his apartment. Ryuichi is standing near him, watching the stars as well. Shuichi turns back to Ryuichi. _

_There are tears in Ryuichi's eyes, something Shuichi rarely sees. "Ryuichi, what's wrong?" Shuichi gets up to embrace him. For the longest time, Ryuichi cries in Shuichi's arms. Finally, Ryuichi ceases his tears and abruptly breaks away._

"_Crimson told me… who gave you those daggers…" Ryuichigulps, more tears threatening to drop from his eyes. "It was him… He was supposed to watch you until we came… But he left you…"_

"_I'm sorry, Ryuichi… I wish I could remember…" Shuichi begins to cry as well. "I'm so useless…"_

"_No, you're not…" Ryuichi holds Shuichi's body closer to him and they cry in each other's eyes. "It was… a painful reminder to me… Of what I lost because of my father's hate… I miss him so much… We used to spend so much time together, whenever I wasn't with you… I'd have fun with him…"_

_Shuichi sniffs, his tears falling on Ryuichi's shoulder. "One day, we'll be back and you'll see him again. Umm… who is he anyway?" Ryuichi stays silent until_ his _tears cease once again._

"_If you can't remember, it's probably for the best." Ryuichi says coldly and walked back inside the apartment, leaving Shuichi alone under the stars._

**_(END FLASHBACK) _**

**_

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_**

_Could… could that have been Lord Tatsuha? Were Ryuichi and he…_ Shuichi inwardly sighed, smiling bitterly. _I'm just as useless as I was back then. It's been over a decade and I still can't remember anything! No wonder Ryuichi hit me. _

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Reiko gazed at Shuichi. "Your aura seems so sad for some reason. Then again, your lover just hit you, so…" Shuichi winced at her words and Judy's eyes widened.

"Lord Ryo _hit_ you?" Lord Tatsuha and Michael demanded simultaneously. Shuichi said nothing and finished his food.

"Oh, Sakura? I finished my martini. May I have another glass?" Reiko grinned, showing her fangs for the first time. "And mix some virgin female blood with it as well. It's been such a long time since…"

_Wow… She knows how to make demands…_ Shuichi closed his eyes and pictured the two liquids separately, then slowly began to mix them in his mind. _Apple martini. Virgin female blood. Apple martini. Virgin female blood. Apple martini. Virgin fem- _He broke off as that familiar flash of light came and went.

This new liquid in Reiko's glass was a darker, more menacing green. Reiko took one sip and made a whoop of joy. "It's perfect, Sakura!" Reiko purred, obviously pleased. "I'm not allowed to go out feeding as much because we don't visit the Human Realm that often."

"Thank you…" Shuichi smiled softly, turning back to Lord Tatsuha. "Lord Ryo… is always silent and cheerless, because he lost someone he cared about very much a long time ago." He chose his words carefully and watched Lord Tatsuha's black eyes widen in astonishment.

_Oh man… All this female gab is hurting my throat. I have to stop talking so high or I'll lose my voice! And I have to sing tonight, too!_ Shuichi's eyes widened. _I'm singing one of Ryuichi's songs tonight! I definitely need to stop talking! I'll need ever iota of energy in my vocal chords for that one!_

"Lady Sakura…" Lord Tatsuha stood up. "Thank you very much." He gave Shuichi a smirk, identical to Lord Yuki's. Then he did something that surprised all of them. He slowly bowed his head to Shuichi, waiting for him to do the same. Shuichi quickly nodded his head forward, blushing slightly. Lord Tatsuha left.

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**Well, I hope you liked it. If you did, review! (And the reason it took me so long was b/c my mother is a Make-Daughter-Study Fanatic. It's either that or Make-Daughter-Study-For-Her-SATs. I can't catch a break...)**

**Lol. Next up: Chapter Four. Shuichi spends some alone time with Yuki. We learn about the eccentricity of half-demons and what Yuki thinks of Shu. Shu & Ryu reveal who they really are during their dazzling performance. How will everyone at the party take it? And what's up with Ryuichi? **


	5. Chapter 4: I'm Home, Father

**I hope everyone likes this chapter! And I own Reiko and Manchu. So there! Too bad I don't own Yuki... I'm listening to "Thanatos" from Evangelion. Wicked awesome song, even though there aren't any words... They play it during the episode where Shinji decides yet again not to pilot his EVA after that bastard Gendo Ikari makes him hurt the Fourth Child. Rei goes out and fights an Angel and while the Eva is running towards it, they start playing it. It's really a dramatic song.

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_**CHAPTER FOUR:**_

"**_I'M HOME, FATHER."

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_**

"Even Tatsuha bowed his head to you!" Reiko turned to Shuichi in shock. "Who are you that you can obtain respect even from a delinquent like him?"

"I'm… nobody… really…" Shuichi stammered, standing up.

"And your powers are so satisfactory." Reiko grinned at him, obviously not suspecting a thing. "It just makes me wonder where you got your powers from."

"Excuse me, please. I'm going to go to the bathroom." Shuichi gulped, turning to Reiko. "Do you know where it is?"

"You should know... you've been here before." Reiko raised an eyebrow. "Oh, it must've been where you were a fledgling, because I don't remember you."

"How long have you lived here?" Shuichi blinked. _Fledgling?_

"After Lady Seki and her son moved out, a little over seventeen years ago. Bless her soul." Reiko smiled bitterly. "Those damned assassins killed the two of them. And you know, Lord Shindou kicked Manchu and I out for _four _years after they died. Why would _I_ have her killed? Everyone knows that the lead assassin was Tohma's father, because the late Lord Seguchi was sealed away in Hell the same day they both died."

_Assassins? Tohma? Seguchi? What is she talking-_ Shuichi's eyes widened.

"_The boy you seek is under the bed."…"Lord Seguchi, step away from my son."..."Hey, hey. It's alright. Boy is Tohma going to be mad!" _Shuichi heard three different voices in his head. The first one was dark and intimidating, the second was protective and enraged and the third voice was comforting and pleasant.

_Who… What…_ Shuichi's face turned pale. It was getting harder to breath. _Was Seki the name of my mother? The one with pink hair? Why can't I remember? Oh wait… I think I just did… But whose voices are those? I know I've heard them all before… _Shuichi felt lightheaded. _The second voice was a female's. Was that my mother's voice? Oh please… I just want to remember… Please… let me remember my mother's face, her words, her love for me… Is that too much to ask?_

"Sakura? Sakura, are you okay?" Reiko shouted loudly, once again bringing the entire room to complete silence. Shuichi knew that his body was falling, falling to the ground. His purple orbs were already closed, bringing complete darkness around him. Just like the darkness where his memories were. Or weren't.

_Complete oblivion… That's what this is. The darkness, the nothingness of my amnesia… My head hurts so much… Maybe one day… maybe one day I'll remember. Then Ryuichi won't hate me anymore. Then I'll be able to freely tell Reiko that I'm not dead. Then I'll be able to tell Michael about my mother… One day… and maybe one day I'll found out about Lord Yuki. And maybe one day…_

_Maybe one day I'll marry him…_ Shuichi opened his eyes, only to see the faint outline Lord Yuki himself sitting down next to him. Shuichi was lying on a couch in a dimly lit room that was obviously near the banquet, due to the sound of talking and music in the background. He slowly sat up, looking at Lord Yuki.

_It's easier to look at him indirectly. No naked-eye contact. Naked!_ Shuichi almost cracked up. "You have an unpleasant habit of fainting near me." Was all Lord Yuki said. His cold amber eyes bored into Shuichi's, but luckily, the he still had his shades on. _No direct eye contact! And I don't have to talk like a girl now!_

"I'm sorry!" Shuichi sputtered out, blushing. "I didn't mean to!"

"Lord Ryo was quite upset." Lord Yuki stood up. "I suggest you go see him."

"W-wait!" Shuichi called out. "If you don't like me, then why watch me?" _While I sleep here, completely defenseless…_ He added in his head.

"That's really none of your concern." Lord Yuki said stiffly.

"How is _not_ my concern?" Shuichi scowled, standing up angrily. Bad mistake. _Oh boy… Dizzy…_ Shuichi dropped back to the couch, almost fainting again in the process.

"Put your head between your knees." Lord Yuki commanded and Shuichi quickly obeyed. His dizzy feeling began to pass. "Breathe deeply through your nose and out through your mouth."

_What is he, a drill sergeant? Oh well… at least he's trying to help. And it's working, too!_ Shuichi thought happily as his dizzy spell passed away. "Thank you, Lord Yuki!" _I'd like to hug you, but I'm afraid of getting dizzy again!_

To Shuichi's surprise, Lord Yuki sat back down next to him. "I was instructed to watch you until you felt _completely_ better." The demon lord rolled his golden eyes in annoyance. "I can't believe I'm being ordered around by a sham."

"What does 'sham' mean?" Shuichi frowned. _Must be some kind of sophisticated insult. Demons like him love to use big, insulting words…_

"What you are. An impostor." Lord Yuki smirked down at him. Shuichi blushed, instinctively looking around. "Calm down, brat. No one else is here." The two stayed silent for the next ten minutes, just pondering.

_I can't believe he's actually sitting next to me!_ Shuichi squealed in his mind. _But… what do I talk about? Marriage? No, he's marrying that brunette. Should I sing for him? No, he doesn't seem like that kind of guy. Then again, I barely know anything about him… What does he like to do, I wonder? Oh… Eureka!_

"Umm… what do you like to do in your spare time?" Shuichi asked slowly, as if he had memorized it.

Lord Yuki simply raised an eyebrow in return. "I suppose this means you're feeling better. Save your small talk for Lord Ryo." And with that, he stood up and walked to the door.

"WAIT!" Shuichi cried out, standing up immediately. At least he had Lord Yuki's attention. "Did you know Lord Seguchi? And do you know his son, Tohma?"

"Why are you asking me this?" Lord Yuki narrowed his eyes.

"I… I don't know…" Shuichi's eyes filled with tears and Lord Yuki looked even more annoyed, if possible. "I just… I started to remember things… Reiko was talking about assassins and my mother and…"

"That's why you passed out?" Lord Yuki asked skeptically. "You're more of a weakling than I thought. What happened to that resilience you had?"

"But… I don't remember anything…" Shuichi was still distressed. "And you speak as if you've met me before… but I can't…"

"You don't remember." Lord Yuki said straightforwardly. "So tell me, what's your earliest memory?"

"Ryuichi stopping King Sakuma's goons from killing me in the Half-Demon Realm and …" Shuichi sniffed, some tears falling.

"King Sakuma arranged it." The words sounded more like a statement than a question. Lord Yuki sighed. "So you repressed all your previous memories." Shuichi nodded miserably in reply.

"B-but Crimson remembers everything. And I couldn't let him out because they placed a stronger seal on my cross…" Shuichi hiccupped. "But he still saw everything. But Ryuichi won't let him tell me anything…"

"Crimson?" Lord Yuki raised an eyebrow.

"I have two sides to me. One is predominantly human and the other is predominantly demon. I'm the human side and Crimson is the demon side." Shuichi explained, repeating the words Ryuichi had told him long ago. "The cross around my neck was a seal from my father. Once I take it off, Crimson is set loose to do whatever he pleases."

"Why aren't you in two separate bodies?" Lord Yuki inquired.

"It's the unavoidable imperfection of being a half-demon. _Anything_ can happen to you, because you entire life is staged around instability and chaos." Shuichi shrugged. "It's a risk all parents take if they're different races. I got lucky. At least I didn't get an icicle for a head or a fireball for a stomach."

"And why would you get either of those?" Lord Yuki smirked down at Shuichi. "You're remembering things again."

"I… I am?" Shuichi grinned up at him. "So… who would I get the icicle from?" _I can't believe it… I'm recalling things on my own now! I bet, the more time I spend in the Demon Realm, the more I'll remember!_ "I'm so happy! I've recalled so much in less than a day. Which took me ten years…"

"Your father's demonic powers come from the season of winter. Your mother often attacked with arrows embedded with fire." Lord Yuki said in a bored tone. _The brat switches from happy to sad too often… Emotional roller coaster…_

"You knew my mother?" Shuichi squealed. "But… what power did they give me?" _Hmmm… Remembering things with Lord Yuki sure is fun!_

"Did you get amnesia again, brat?" Lord Yuki narrowed his eyes, overly annoyed now. "Try and recall the last time you were conscious. Does a virgin female blood mixed with an apple martini ring a bell?"

"Umm, yeah… but how is that power useful?" Shuichi looked confused.

"Since you're obviously not as intelligent as I am, how about I just explain it to you in a simpler way?" Lord Yuki said, going from annoyed to irritated. "What is fire plus ice?" _I can't believe Lord Shindou's son is so stupid… Makes me question the whole theory of genetics… But… he almost sounded smart when he gave me that speech on the imperfections of half-demons…_

"Fire plus ice?… EUREKA!" Shuichi's eyes shone with excitement. "It's water! And I can control all liquids! So that's what they gave me…"

"Congratulations." Lord Yuki sighed loudly. "_Now_ can I leave?"

"You don't like me." Shuichi sighed loudly, dropping to the floor. "You know, sometimes I wonder why I even _bother_. Why _would_ you like me anyway? I'm just a lowly, half-breed brat who can't do anything without making some kind of inexcusable, fatal error that will eventually bring about the Apocalypse because since I'm a half-breed, _everything_ is my fault."

"I don't recall asking you to play the blame game with me." Lord Yuki almost groaned out loud. Now he was _never_ going to be able to leave. "And what me wanting to leave have to do with the Apocalypse?"

"That's not the point!" Shuichi cried out emotionally. "The point is you don't want to spend time with me!"

"Why would I _want_ to spend time with you?" Lord Yuki narrowed his eyes. "I was ordered to watch you by Sakuma, who is my equal, in terms of social rank."

"What does Ryuichi have to do with anything?" Shuichi mumbled bitterly. "He can't stand me either. Maybe you should go with him and make up a We-Can't-Stand-Shuichi-So-We're-Going-To-Make-Him-Feel-Like-Dirt Club!"

"Since when can't Sakuma stand you?" Lord Yuki asked, interested.

"Before you were all ready to leave, but now that I'm talking about my _infinite ordeals of pain and betrayal_, you immediately become interested." Shuichi glared crossly at Lord Yuki. "Do you _like_ my agony or something?"

"I don't have time for this." Lord Yuki turned around and walked back to the door. One sound kept him from leaving. Shuichi's sobs. Knowing that he would regret this for centuries to come, Lord Yuki abruptly walked back to the boy.

Lord Yuki roughly pulled Shuichi to his feet and tore off his sunglasses. Wide, tearing purple eyes stared at him in shock. The demon lord cupped the side of Shuichi's face and used his thumb to wipe away the forming tears in his right eye.

"Now then. I'm going to forget that emotional tirade of yours. _No_, I do not think you're a lowly, half-breed whose fate is to bring about the Apocalypse. _No_, I do not want to spend time with you if you act like a whiny, emotional child. _No_, I do not like your agony." Lord Yuki's eyes bored into Shuichi's. "Satisfied?"

Shuichi nodded slowly, because he didn't want to lose Lord Yuki's touch. _I'm staring at him without my shades. It's a lot harder to keep eye contact now… I can't hide behind them… But… it's actually nice… I feel as if I can look right into his soul… _He slowly smiled gratefully.

"Do… do you like me?" Shuichi asked slowly, partially regretting his words.

"You're more tolerable than Reiko." Was all Lord Yuki said. "So I suppose you are likeable." _Why am I avoiding the brat's question? Hopefully he'll leave me alone. I still can't believe I said those ridiculous things. I don't think I ever spoke to Ayaka that way before. Then again, Ayaka isn't a teenager with psychological issues…_

"It's a yes or no question." Shuichi said flatly. Lord Yuki closed his eyes in frustration. "I thought so." _So… was all that a lie? I'm too hopeful…_

"Of course I _do_ you twit!" Lord Yuki snapped out, surprising the both of them. "Do you _honestly_ think I'd be here if I didn't?"

"You do like me?" Shuichi's eyes shone with sheer happiness. "Oh, I like you, too!" _He likes me, he likes me, he likes me! Yippee!_

_As I couldn't figure that one out…_ Lord Yuki inwardly sighed. He almost fell over in shock when Shuichi knocked his hand away and threw his small body into him. Lord Yuki sighed out loud, but allowed his arms to envelope the boy again.

"Did you have to be a touchy-feely half-demon?" Lord Yuki petted Shuichi's pink hair. _What am I doing? He's not a friggin cat! Why am I being… so gentle? What sorcery does the boy uses to make me feel so peaceful? I've never felt this way before…_

"Shuichi, are you-" Ryuichi's anxious voice broke them apart. Shuichi's face was clearly red and Lord Yuki looked just plain annoyed. Without giving Shuichi another glance, he strode out of the room, but not before uttering to Ryuichi:

"Hit him again and there'll be hell to pay." Lord Yuki had whispered in Ryuichi's ear. Ryuichi glared angrily at his back, but then ran over to Shuichi.

"Shuichi, I'm sorry." Ryuichi said straightforwardly. "I lost my temper and struck you. I was feeling panicky because… because I plan on killing my father tonight. I wanted nothing to go wrong. And instead I indirectly caused all of this. Can you forgive me, Shuichi?"

"Of course!" Shuichi grinned up at him.

"What were you doing with Lord Yuki?" Ryuichi narrowed his eyes at Shuichi. "Shuichi, I'm warning you. _Don't_ get involved with him. He'll only hurt you. Lord Yuki could _never_ feel anything for you. And it's not you, Shuichi, it's _him_. He's antisocial, indifferent, heartless, and insensitive. He'll hurt you."

"Opposites attract." Shuichi shrugged, not wanting to hear this. "Before I know it, I'll have all of my memories back and I won't need you to take care of my anymore. You have your own life, Ryuichi and I have mine."

"_It's about time you let him stop babysitting you."_ Crimson's satisfied voice said in Shuichi's head. _"I hate to say it, but I'm actually proud of you."_

"Shuichi, I'm not joking. Yuki is the heir to the throne of Hell. He is engaged to Ayaka of the Phoenix Demon Tribe. If their marriage is successful, flying demons and phoenixes will finally be able to fly the skies as allies. If you try and break up their marriage, I won't be able to save you." Ryuichi scowled.

It seemed like the entire world was against poor Shuichi. He sighed in partially defeat and avoided Ryuichi's eyes. "Fine." Shuichi mumbled darkly. "Why did you come here anyway?"

"We're on stage in forty-five minutes. Judy wants you to... get ready." Ryuichi picked Shuichi's sunglasses off the ground. "And for heaven's sake, put these back on! And until we sing, try and sound like a girl again. Okay?"

"It's not my fault! Lord Yuki took them off!" Shuichi whined in his girly voice, but he put them back on. "Are we going to sing acappella?"

"No. K took care of the music. So don't worry about it." Ryuichi shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ryuichi… are you sure I can do it? Singing one of my songs is nothing to either of us… but _your_ song: 'Sleepless Beauty'? I'm not sure I can do it. I don't think I'm good enough…" Shuichi gulped as Ryuichi led them out of the small room. Ryuichi said nothing as they walked inside a bigger room full of clothing and mirrors. There was one person sitting in front of the mirror.

"Here he is." Ryuichi shoved Shuichi into the one person. Judy! "Shuichi, I said don't worry. You'll be fine." And with that, Ryuichi quickly left the two alone, closing the door behind him.

"Okay!" Judy stood up excitedly and clapped her hands. She ran over to Shuichi and took out his pigtails. Shuichi gratefully shook his pink hair. "Kimono, off. Go in that small bathroom and clean up. Then put these back on." Judy handed Shuichi his earlier attire, a toothbrush, a washcloth and a towel. "Sorry, I couldn't find anything else on such short notice. Now hurry!"

Shuichi smiled at Judy and spun inside the small blue bathroom. He quickly tore off the kimono and his daggers clattered on the floor. "Salvation!" He squealed as he snatched the soap off the sink and began to wash himself. Once he was satisfied that he no longer smelled feminine, he decided to wash his hair.

"They put all kinds of girly shampoo in it!" Shuichi shouted in horror. He searched high and low through the bathroom until he found a small cup. Closing his eyes, he pictured the thick fluid he wanted. In a small flash of light, his favorite strawberry shampoo appeared in the cup.

"Scrub, scrub, scrub!" Shuichi cried out as he rapidly washed his hair. After he finished, he snapped his fingers. The dampness of his wet hair vanished. "My power really is useful… I can't wait to show Lord Yuki what else I can do!"

The happy boy put his earlier clothing back on. "This is me! I'm not a girl at all!" Shuichi shouted confidently to the mirror. He picked his daggers up off the ground, put his shades back on and bounced out of the bathroom.

"Took you long enough." Judy looked him over. "Perfect! I just love your image! Now, is there anything else you'd like to do before you sing?"

"Eat something…" Shuichi moaned. "But… I know I can't." _Some sugar would be fantastic right about now… So hungry… Sugar low…_

"How about this?" Judy took a small package out of her pocket and threw it at Shuichi. He tore it open.

"Strawberry pocky!" Shuichi gobbled it up and gave Judy a huge hug. "Thank you so much, Judy! How did you know?"

"It matches your hair." Judy grinned back, kissing him on the head. "Now, let's go." She tugged him out of the room and into the hallway. "By the way, before Ryuichi has another nervous breakdown, why don't you sing his song first?" She had a knowing look in her eyes. An implicit looked passed between them.

"Right." Shuichi nodded seriously. So he would unmask himself earlier than planned. Judy led him back into the banquet room. A stage had replaced on of the walls and the lights had been dimmed. Someone was on stage, doing some kind of magical performance involving wind and fire.

Judy and Shuichi snuck around all the tables and the beings sitting there. They finally reached the back of the stage, where K, Michael, and Ryuichi were waiting for them.

"How do you plan on killing him?" K asked Ryuichi casually.

"Let me worry about that." Ryuichi said coldly.

"Thank you, thank you!" The magical performer bowed numerous times and danced off the stage. The magician smirked at Shuichi. "Break a leg, kid."

Shuichi gulped, as he looked at K. "You can do it." K nodded confidently, shoving Shuichi up the stairs that led to the stage. Ryuichi quickly followed.

"We're singing-" Shuichi started to whisper as they reached the top.

"My song first." Ryuichi finished, grinning at him. "Are you ready?" Shuichi nodded nervously and jumped out onto the stage. Ryuichi followed suit. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're your last act of the night! Please sit back, relax, and enjoy our song!" Ryuichi and Shuichi had sung duets numerous times before, so they both knew when to start.

"This song is called 'Sleepless Beauty'!" Shuichi shouted energetically. _From now own, I never have to sound like a girl again! My throat is going to hurt tomorrow! _"We hope you enjoy it!" Ryuichi and Shuichi glanced at each other once and then: (AN: **Bold** is Shuichi, _Italic_ is Ryuichi. **_Bold Italic_** is both of them.)

"**_tooku de me o hikarasete mezameru monotachi matte iru_**

**yoru no jouheki sasowarete utsurisumu mure no nukegara ni**

_**(deguchi no nai) shougeki ni taeru tsumori nara**_

**(kuzureru hodo) itsuwari o misete**

_**umarekawareru anata yo hitori hohoemanaide hitomi o irodoru**_

_**nozonda sekai ga totsuzen hai ni natte mo kiseki ni mada meguriaeru**_

**_(sotto dakishimete kowasu you ni)"_**

Shuichi took a deep breath. He was singing Ryuichi's song! He looked out into the silent crowd and saw Lord Yuki seated near his father and Reiko. But poor Reiko was so drunk, if she were human she would've died from alcohol poisoning…

"**_muku na mama de sarasarete hanabira o chirasu hana no you ni_**

**migaku houseki te no naka no HIBI ni sae kizukihajimeteru**

_**(tsumetai te ga) nukeochita toge o hirou kara**_

**(madoromu hi ga) kusuburitsuzukeru**

_**ima mo todokanu hikari no yukue azayaka ni mau omoi o egakou**_

**michibiku kotoba ga koborete shimawanu you ni utsuru toki o osorenaide**

**_(deguchi mo naku) (kuzureochiru)…"_**

Shuichi looked closer at one of the demons seated near Lord Shindou. He knew immediately the demon sitting across from Lord Yuki was King Sakuma, Ryuichi's father. They had the exact same facial expression: dead serious. But King Sakuma had dark blue hair with some silver lining and cold gray eyes.

"**_umarekawari no anata yo hitori hohoemanaide hitomi o irodoru_**

_**nozonda sekai ga totsuzen hai ni natte mo kiseki wa mada megurikuru**_

_**todokanu hikari no yukue azayaka ni mau omoi o egakou**_

**michibiku kotoba ga koborete shimawanu you ni utsuru toki o osorenaide**

**_(sotto dakishimete zutto tsukamaete motto kokoro made kowasu you ni)…"_**

Shuichi and Ryuichi simultaneously tore off their shades and looked at their fathers. "Tadaima, otousan!" Shuichi squealed and Ryuichi uttered. But the entire crowd heard them. And no one spoke a word.

It was then that Reiko passed out drunk and this seemed to bring the prolonged reaction. All the demons, humans, and half-demons began whispering and staring. It made them quite uncomfortable. King Sakuma gasped out loud and glared at Shuichi. Lord Shindou himself leapt onto the stage with surprising agility.

"Umm… hi?" Shuichi grinned slightly. Lord Shindou lifted the boy's chin up and stared deeply into his eyes. Purple bored into purple. Then Lord Shindou grabbed Shuichi in a bone-crushing hug.

"On my one-thousandth birthday, my son has returned!" Lord Shindou announced, flinging an arm around Shuichi's frail shoulders. "Let us rejoice!" And so, the crowd broke into cheers and hurrahs.

Shuichi turned to Ryuichi to grin at him, but then saw the look on his idol's face. "Ryuichi, what's wrong?" Shuichi asked. Lord Shindou turned to him as well.

"And you!" Lord Shindou gave Ryuichi a hug as well. "Thank you for taking care of my son, Prince Sakuma!" The crowd cheered again.

"Lord Shindou. My father was responsible for your son's kidnapping." Ryuichi glared coldly at King Sakuma, who stood up furiously.

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing? I have been without my only son for a decade! I expected a better greeting than this!" King Sakuma snapped.

"If you _expected_ something from me that means you knew I was alive, right?" Ryuichi held his hands out in front of him. Red energy began forming around his fingertips. "Shuichi, take off your cross. We're going to kill him right here and now." _I've waited for this day for ten years. I will bring him pain, torment, and suffering. My vengeance will bring his demise. _

"Excuse me?" Shuichi blinked in shock. "Why? You're actually serious?"

* * *

**And so... the chapter has ended. Now I'm listening to "Love Me" from Yami no Matsuei. I always laugh when the singer rolls his "R" right at the end. I don't know... maybe I have a weird sense of humor. But enough about me! If you liked it, review! If you didn't, tell me why it sucks! (Oh and can someone give me a good name for Shuichi's father? I can't call him 'Lord Shindou' for the rest of the fic, right?)**

**Chapter 5 Baby! Showdown! Ryuichi vs. King Sakuma! Shuichi & his 'tousan vs. Ryuichi and King Sakuma! Shuichi and Michael vs. Manchu! Has Lord Shindou's birthday bash been _COMPLETELY_ ruined because of all these fights? Or will something good come out of all this violence? **


	6. Chapter 5: When the Sun is Shining Again

**First off... I don't own the song in this fic. It belongs to Yusuke his crew. Hey! Yusuke's mom is a drinker, just like Reiko! **

Ok... To Delia- Thank you very, very much for the name! And I hate Ayaka, too! Woop, Woop!

To Asato-chan- I'm... exhilarated that you love my fic! Booyah, I used a vocab word! My obsession with demons came from Inuyasha, but since the ending sucked so badly I can't stand it now...

To xunxin- Here is your update, so now you don't have to wait anymore!

To WhiteTopaz- I'm glad you like my fic! Strawberry pocky for you!

To Dhampir- I think I'll make Shu say that in the next chapter. (Lol I know I said that and I haven't done it so I apologize. In actuality, I'm going to use it when Shuichi gets back from You-Know-Where.) Thank you very, very much for your review! It was greatly appreciated. ((sage nod))

* * *

_**CHAPTER FIVE:**_

"**_WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING AGAIN"

* * *

_**

"_You're_ not doing anything. _Take the cross off_." Ryuichi turned his cold stare on Shuichi. Sometimes… there's no need to argue.

"Must there be bloodshed on my birthday?" Lord Shindou frowned, obviously not liking this. "Ryuichi, calm yourself. You have no proof of these wild accusations."

"But Father! It's true!" Shuichi blurted out, surprising himself. _I just called him… "father". Wow… I have a father. Maybe… maybe things will start looking up for me yet. But… who do I obey: my father or Ryuichi? _

Ryuichi ignored Lord Shindou and sent out numerous fireballs at King Sakuma. The table was destroyed and a raging fire started. Everyone started screaming. Lord Yuki jumped up on the stage, landing near Ryuichi.

A gunshot was heard. Everyone halted. "Evacuate! Evacuate!" K began firing off shots at the ceiling. All the party guests left rapidly. "There! Nothing like a gun to convince a crowd." Michael and Judy swiftly ran out the doors.

King Sakuma and Ryuichi were locked in combat, attacking with fire and basically destroying everything around them. Even the stage was on fire. Shuichi looked frantically at his father. Reiko was still lying on the floor below, passed out.

One demon came back in. Lord Tatsuha bolted in, looking around. "I go to the bathroom and when I come back… complete chaos!" He rolled his dark eyes and finally spotted everyone on the stage. He quickly flew over, bringing Reiko.

Shuichi knew he had to stop the fire. He held his hands above his head and a tiny blue bubble appeared and it was practically smaller than his eye. "What is _that_ supposed to do?" Lord Yuki rolled his eyes.

Shuichi ignored Lord Yuki and threw the bubble into the middle of the room. It popped. There was a large rumbling sound and then a huge typhoon appeared, whirling around the entire room. Lord Shindou flew around to grab K and landed on the stage just in time. The typhoon blew right through Ryuichi and King Sakuma, knocking them both on the ground and temporarily stopping their fight. Lord Yuki glanced at Shuichi in shock.

Once the typhoon stopped spinning it simply disappeared. The same small blue bubble flew back over to Shuichi and disappeared. "You're good." Lord Tatsuha nodded, impressed. "Nothing says 'stop' like a raging cyclone of death."

"Ryuichi!" Shuichi cried out as Ryuichi stood up once again, ready to fight. "You have to stop!" Ryuichi responded by sending a fireball at him, which Shuichi easily ruined by soaking it.

"Son. You can't just douse his fire. You have to terminate it." Lord Shindou turned to his child. His eyes glowed red and a huge glacier appeared in the middle of the now destroyed banquet room. "Now then. Try your attack again. Aim your typhoon at the glacier."

"You think this ice block is going to stop me?" Ryuichi shouted, obviously not hearing them. He began melting it with numerous fireballs. But then King Sakuma flew around the glacier and attacked him. They were locked in conflict once again, oblivious to Shuichi, who was gathering his energy for another typhoon.

"I thought he was speaking figuratively when he said he was going to kill his father." K frowned, firing his gun in frustration. Shuichi let loose another tiny bubble. He made sure that it popped right on top of the glacier.

Lord Yuki and Lord Tatsuha made some quick motions with their hands and a shiny, see-through globe appeared around the stage. "Barrier?" K shot at it to make sure. The bullet bounced off the barrier and nearly hit him. "Ah, nice."

The same typhoon appeared, but it began spinning in place on top of the glacier. It sent shards of ice everywhere, including the barrier. But the barrier withstood its attacks and sent the shards back at Ryuichi and King Sakuma.

Both of them were dodging the shards and still fighting each other. But the glacier was too huge and the typhoon wouldn't stop spinning until it had reached the floor and whirled around the room. Which would be a long time, considering the size of the glacier. It was getting harder for Ryuichi and King Sakuma to dodge the shards. "Shuichi! Another typhoon to finish it!" Lord Shindou called out.

"Another one?" Poor Shuichi was tired. It took hard work and concentration to maintain that typhoon. Now he had to watch and control another. But… he had to prove to his father that he was strong. He wasn't a puny half-demon. He would prove to everyone that he could do it. "Alright! But I'll need an opening in the barrier so the bubble can exit."

"That's my boy!" Lord Shindou slapped Shuichi on the back. Shuichi nearly fell over. He began forming the minimized typhoon in his mind, enclosing it with an even smaller bubble. He was unaware that Lord Yuki was staring at him.

"I feel so useless." Lord Tatsuha rolled his eyes. "All we're doing is holding up a barrier. How is Reiko, K?"

"I'm not a nurse." K knelt down by Reiko's unconscious body. "But it seems as though this has happened before. Does she always drink this much?"

"Reiko is half-phoenix and half-vampire. It's a harmful combination, so she has severe psychological deficiencies." Lord Shindou sighed. "Her body is healing, because of the alcohol poisoning. It's happened numerous times before…"

"Now!" Shuichi cried out, letting his bubble loose into the air. Lord Yuki instinctively wove his hands and a small hole in the barrier appeared. Their eyes locked for a moment, but it didn't break their concentration. The bubble was out, but about twenty ice shards were in.

"Uh-oh…" Lord Tatsuha gulped, looking up at them. The shards zipped at them all at an alarming rate. Then… they all burst into pieces.

"Hmph." Was all Lord Shindou said, crossing his arms over his chest. Shuichi sent his bubble to pop near a wall, so it would attack on the ground. It popped, releasing yet another typhoon that blew through Ryuichi and King Sakuma numerous times. It blasted through the glacier, sending bigger chunks of ice at them. At that time, both Ryuichi and King Sakuma fell to the ground.

Lord Shindou snapped his fingers and all of the damage to the room disappeared. Every ice shard, every droplet of water, every burn and every piece of debris was gone. All the tables and chairs reappeared in the room.

"Wow…" Shuichi stared at his father admiringly. The barrier vanished as well, so Shuichi ran over to Ryuichi's fallen body. "Sorry, but I had to…"

Lord Tatsuha and Lord Yuki jumped off the stage next. K picked Reiko up and Lord Shindou leapt over to King Sakuma. "I'm going to take Lady Reiko back to her room." K smiled at Shuichi. "Well done, Shuichi. Lord Tatsuha? Will you accompany me?"

"Sure." Lord Tatsuha shrugged and grinned widely at Shuichi. "Wicked job, Shuichi. I can't wait to fight you. Rest up tonight, okay?"

"I will." Shuichi grinned. Then his mouth dropped open in shock. "You… I met you before I got amnesia… that was _your_ voice…"

"_Hey, hey. It's alright. Boy is Tohma going to be mad!"_ Shuichi nodded confidently. The two voices were identical. That same calm, untroubled voice.

"Umm… you don't remember me?" Lord Tatsuha blinked slowly. "Oh well. See you tomorrow!" And with that, he left with K.

"Lord Shindou. Do you need me for anything?" Lord Yuki asked Shuichi's father. Shuichi looked up at him curiously.

"Take Ryuichi and my son to their rooms." Lord Shindou lifted a finger and King Sakuma's body was lifted up. "I'm going to heal him and put him to bed. Good night." Before Lord Shindou left the room, he turned back to Shuichi. "Son, I'm truly pleased that you're back. But… no more cross-dressing, alright?"

"Sure!" Shuichi grinned widely at his father. Giving Shuichi a contented nod, Lord Shindou exited, the body of King Sakuma following behind him. "What do we do now?" _Yay! I get to spend more time with Lord Yuki!_

Lord Yuki picked Ryuichi's body up and began walking. Shuichi trailed after him, chattering excitedly. "I wonder what we're going to do tomorrow?" He wondered, following Lord Yuki up the stairs. They went around a few corridors and past a bunch of rooms. He was still talking when Lord Yuki dropped Ryuichi's body off in a secluded part of the hallway. The room was a fairly nice size with all the standard furniture in it.

Lord Yuki wasted no time leaving Ryuichi's room and Shuichi had no choice but to follow. "Hey, how come you're not talking to me?" Shuichi whined, jumping in front of Lord Yuki. Lord Yuki glared at Shuichi until he moved. "What's wrong with you?" _Did I do something wrong? I wonder… He seemed fine before…_

"When are you going to stop the act?" Lord Yuki finally spoke, ceasing his long strides. Shuichi almost crashed into him in shock. "Do you actually _expect_ me to believe you have amnesia after that little show of yours?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Shuichi blinked. "Oh I get it! You think I'm lying because I didn't know who I received my powers from, but I knew how to use them." _He just met me, so I suppose he's not going to trust me for a while._

"Fairly well, I might add." Lord Yuki cut in coldly. _The brat's intellect is nothing compared to his powers. He's dumb as an ogre, but just as strong. Then again, he is Lord Shindou's son… so I suppose it's safe to accept the theory of genetics._

"Well… Ryuichi's been my mentor ever since I was born." Shuichi shrugged. "Let me guess. You thought I was a spineless weakling. Well, I'm not. And as for my amnesia, if you can't tell truth from fiction, maybe you _shouldn't_ be a demon lord."

_Oops… my mouth always gets me in trouble… he's going to kill me now… Or worse… he's never going to talk to me again…_ Shuichi sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" Shuichi broke off as Lord Yuki put his pale fingers over his mouth.

"You're right." Lord Yuki said simply, but his eyes held an apology. Shuichi smiled brightly and looked around the dark hallway. "Your room is right there." Lord Yuki pointed to an open door across the hall.

Shuichi turned around and grinned widely at Lord Yuki. "Good night, Lord Yuki!" He chirped cheerfully and spun inside his room, quickly closing and locking the door. He flicked the light on and looked around.

His room was about the same size as Ryuichi's. The entire room was bright blue. There was a huge closet on the left side of the door, a balcony straight ahead of him, a few dressers next to the door, and a huge bed across from the closet. He immediately ran to the sliding doors and flung them open. He ran out to the balcony and stared up at the sky.

The luminous stars twinkled at Shuichi. "Wow… they're so pretty…" He breathed in amazement. He yawned shortly after. "I suppose I should get to bed…" He mumbled, walking back inside his room. He closed and locked the sliding doors. "I wonder if there are any extra clothes for me to sleep in."

Shuichi bounded over to the dressers and opened them. After looking through the first few compartments, he found what he was looking for. He tore off his clothing and put on the boxers. They were baby blue and they had white clouds all over them.

Shuichi quickly turned off the light and leapt into his new bed, snuggling into it. He fell asleep soon after, allowing the darkness to take him.

* * *

_**(BEGIN DREAM)**_

_Shuichi is running through darkness. It's very cold and he shivers. "Where… where am I?" Shuichi looks around, terrified. "Ryuichi? Ryuichi? Where are you?" He runs into a room, which is almost completely empty, except for a bed. He quickly scurries over to the bed and hides under it. Then a face looms out at him. A face with whitish blonde hair and coal black eyes._

"_Now then, Shuichi, won't you come out?" The face laughs at him manically. "Now then, Shuichi, won't you come out? Now then, Shuichi, won't you come out?"_

"_No! No! NO!" Shuichi screams loudly. "Leave me alone! Ryuichi! Ryuichi!" But Ryuichi doesn't come. Shuichi comes out from the bed and continues running through the never-ending darkness. The face follows him. It is everywhere he goes. _

_The face changes into the body of King Sakuma. His gray eyes glare at Shuichi. "You must perish!" King Sakuma snaps his fingers and five demons appear. They're the nastiest of their kind: with long, stringy black hair, glowing yellow eyes, and dirty navy blue skin. They all leap out at Shuichi._

"_YUUUUUUUUUKI!" Shuichi shrieks at the top of his lungs. And amazingly, Lord Yuki is there. He quickly kills all of the demons using some kind of_ _invisible magic. The leftover pieces of the demons promptly evaporate._

"_That's 'Lord' Yuki to you, brat." Lord Yuki snaps out, his mouth snarling, but his eyes are telling Shuichi something else. "Be careful." And Lord Yuki vanishes into the darkness from which he came._

_Shuichi looks down and sees that he is disappearing as well. He watches his body disintegrate into nothing, into darkness, into oblivion…_

_**(END DREAM)

* * *

**_

Squinted purple eyes stared at the ceiling. Shuichi quickly sat up in bed, breathing heavily. The bright light from the sun shone in through the sliding doors. Shuichi smiled, happy that his nightmare was over.

"I don't have to be scared anymore!" Shuichi ran to his sliding doors and flung them open, running out to his balcony. The Demon Realm shone back at him, with its stupendous skyscrapers and its beautiful forests that seemed to go on as far as the ocean. "I'm so happy I'm back…" Shuichi could see a glimpse of sparkling turquoise far away. Maybe he could see the ocean once day. Meet a couple mermaids, play with some dolphins… Hey, he could dream!

And so, in order to express his happiness, Shuichi did the only thing he could do effortlessly: sing.

"**When my letter reaches you, please don't break the seal. **

**Just wait a little while, give it time to heal **

**And I believe you'll understand, just exactly how I feel. **

**This is my last and my most loving request. **

**With a restless innocence, our hearts began to race. **

**With one thing on our mind, we foolishly embraced. **

**Now as twilight closes in, I see you from a distance place. **

**And I wish for you, all the courage that you'll ever need, to be your best! **

**And although it storms and it's raining outside, **

**All the people of the city still believe in the existence of the sun. **

**And a forgotten melody, and the birds in our hands. **

**A life without pain is a life without joy, without fun!"**

Shuichi finished, smiling widely. _I hope I didn't wake anyone up…_ He winced. A small body crashing into his back answered him. "Gee, Shuichi! You must've gotten in a lot of fights!" It was Michael!

Michael was wearing bright green silk pajamas with dark blue polka dots all over them. And of course he had a matching green hat on backwards and his trademark black shades on.

"Well, I did fight a lot." Shuichi smiled sadly. His entire body was covered in various scars and bruises.

"I heard you singing a couple rooms down, so I decided to come visit you. Next time, lock your door!" Michael cautioned, waggling his finger at Shuichi. "It's dangerous to keep a door unlocked here!"

_But… I did lock the door… I remember doing that as soon as I got in… Did someone… break the lock and come in? But who?_ Shuichi frowned pensively, sitting on the railing of the balcony. Sensing Shuichi's serious mood, Michael chose to be silent and simply sat on his lap.

The two stared out at the Demon Realm. After a few minutes, Shuichi's stomach growled and that broke their concentration. "Shuichi, get dressed and let's go already!" Michael jumped off his lap and ran back into Shuichi's room.

Shuichi scampered after the small boy, who was already picking out clothes for him to wear. A pile of clothes was on his unmade bed. Michael was opening every single drawer and throwing its contents on his bed.

Shuichi picked up his old clothes off the ground. His twin daggers clumped on the floor. Blinking slowly, he picked them up, staring thoughtfully at them. _So… did Lord Tatsuha give me these? Or did someone else? Should I ask Ryuichi? No, he's probably too mad at me…_

"I got it!" Michael snapped his fingers in excitement. "You'll wear these long blue shorts, with this gold T-shirt, and that baby blue vest! Oh and I put your new socks and sneakers on the ground."

Shuichi had to admit; the kid had a sense of style. He quickly put on the clothes he was instructed to wear and for once, he didn't hide his cross under his shirt. _From now own, I'm going to be as strong as Lord Yuki! _He tied the laces of his new blue sneakers.

As Shuichi was looking for a place to put his daggers, Michael handed him two small, blue pouches. "I found them in the bottom of your sock drawer!" He squealed happily.

"Perfect…" Shuichi smiled brightly, looking the pouches over. They had small hooks on the back that could connect to his shorts. He quickly put them on and placed his daggers inside of them.

Michael took all of Shuichi's other clothes and dumped them off the bed. He jumped on top of the bed and crawled around until he found what he was looking for. Two clear blue water guns. "Now… we're ready to face… the banquet room." Michael said dramatically, leaping over to Shuichi's door and flinging it open.

"In your pajamas?" Shuichi blinked incredulously.

"You have to look… professional. My job is done." Michael nodded solemnly. "Being a professional is _very_, _very_ important for your image. That's what Mommy and Dad always tell me."

"So in other words… you want me to make a good impression on the other demons here visiting." Shuichi smiled, pulling on Michael's hat. "Thanks." So the duo quickly left Shuichi room.

The hallway looked completely different, now that it wasn't covered in darkness. If anything, getting lost wouldn't be too bad. But there was just one problem… "Michael, where's the bathroom?" Shuichi smiled sheepishly.

Michael sighed, but led Shuichi to the right. He led Shuichi down, past all the rooms and large windows. The windows showed the vast gardens of Lord Shindou's property. "Wow…" Shuichi was slightly sidetracked by their beauty.

"Hurry up!" Michael shoved Shuichi inside a small room and closed the door. "Professionals should be able to control their… oh never mind!"

Chuckling slightly, Shuichi fumbled for the light. The bathroom seemed small, quaint, and secretive. After relieving himself, Shuichi washed his hands and face with water and soap. Not that he needed it from the sink anyway…

_I suppose mouthwash wouldn't hurt either…_ And so Shuichi began gargling the orange-flavored mouthwash until Michael banged on the door. "HURRY UP!" Michael shouted at the top of his lungs.

Shuichi quickly spit the mouthwash in the sink and opened the door. "What were you _doing_?" Michael scowled at Shuichi. "I _happen_ to be starving." Shuichi only smirked in reply. Michael jumped on Shuichi's back. "Now you have to run there, since you took so long. To the right!"

Shuichi bolted to the right, with a squealing boy on his back. "Left, left!" Michael shouted after a while. "And step on it, will you?"

"Don't be a backseat driver!" Shuichi retorted, obeying Michael. Where he was running, Shuichi didn't know. _Probably some kind of warped short-cut Michael made up himself… _He inwardly sighed as Michael dictated more directions. But something brought him to a halt. In this new corridor, stood Lord Manchu.

"What are you doing near my quarters, half-breed?" Lord Manchu snarled angrily and a sharp sword appeared in his hands. "I will kill you now for disgracing my family!" His red eyes gleamed at Shuichi.

"I am your family!" Shuichi protested. "Whether you choose to except it or not!" He put Michael on the ground. "Be safe."

Michael nodded, holding his water guns close. "I'll hit him if I have to!" The small boy proclaimed bravely. Shuichi quickly drew his twin daggers.

"So… you plan on fighting me, pathetic half-breed?" Lord Manchu began brandishing his exquisite blade, covered in blood red Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. The black hilt had numerous ridges on it and had a silver, black, and red eye embedded on the end of it.

"You need to come up with a new nickname." Shuichi uttered, glaring at Lord Manchu. And he leapt out at his smaller brother, slashing for all he was worth. The battle had begun.

Lord Manchu began slicing wildly at Shuichi, almost catching him with each swipe. But Shuichi's natural speed and dexterity prevailed. Lord Manchu growled in frustration and kicked Shuichi in the side.

Because the pain distracted Shuichi, he didn't see the next blow coming. The hilt of Lord Manchu's sword struck him right in the stomach. The eye mysteriously blinked at him, as if noticing his pain. Shuichi fell to the ground. _No… I can't lose… I'm better… I'm better!_ Shuichi jumped up, just missing the blade of Lord Manchu's sword.

"I'll get you!" Michael began firing water at Lord Manchu. _He doesn't even realize what he's getting into…_ Shuichi shook his head. _I can't let him get hurt…_ Then an idea popped into his head. Some of the water was on Lord Manchu.

Shuichi held his hands in front of him as if he was pushing something. He closed his eyes in concentration, thinking hard about the water on Lord Manchu. He imagined that water growing and growing, until it consumed his half-brother. And when he opened his amethyst orbs that's exactly what he saw.

Lord Manchu was floating around in a bubble of water. Michael was curiously looking at his water guns. "Did _I_ do that?" Michael was in shock. "These things pack more of a punch than I thought!"

Shuichi triumphantly picked up his twin daggers off the ground. "Michael, let's go." He said and they ran off, leaving Lord Manchu and his bubble behind.

It seemed as if ages had passed, but finally Michael and Shuichi were downstairs. They heard plates clattering and voices conversing nearby. They found the familiar open banquet doors and strolled in.

"Presenting: Master Shuichi and Michael Winchester." The same booming voice said. Everyone stared at them, of course.

"Master?" Shuichi whispered to Michael. "What's up with that?"

"Ask your father. He controls everything here with his magic." Michael shrugged. There were only two buffet tables there this time: one for the food and one for the beverages.

Shuichi and Michael were on the line for the food, slowing filling up their plates when a loud voice was heard. "Manchu, what is wrong with you?" A high voice shrieked out. Michael and Shuichi turned around, as did many other demons and humans.

Lord Manchu and Reiko were standing close to the middle of the room. Reiko was shouting furiously at him. That was when Shuichi saw that Lord Manchu was dripping wet. Michael and Shuichi cracked up, as did many other beings in the room. Lord Manchu turned and glared coldly right at Shuichi.

Reiko followed her son's glance and saw Shuichi. She ran right over… and hugged him! "Sa… I mean, Shuichi!" Reiko squeezed him tightly. "Good morning, my stepson!" The entire room was shocked. There seemed to be a lot of that lately.

Shuichi froze in shock. _She knows… everything… But I thought she was passed out, recovering from her alcohol poisoning… And… she doesn't hate me…_ "Good… morning." Shuichi slowly smiled in Reiko's embrace.

Reiko quickly released him, as if embarrassed. "Ryuichi told me everything earlier this morning. I think you should go visit him. He's on the third floor, fifth room." Her red eyes gleamed excitedly at Shuichi. "Go ahead. I'll make sure Manchu doesn't pick on you anymore!"

"Thank you, Reiko." Shuichi smiled gratefully. "But… I would like to eat first. Michael, aren't you hungry?"

There was no reply from the blonde boy, who was currently stuffing himself while sitting on the floor. Shuichi's jaw dropped and he decided to do the same.

Shuichi and Michael gobbled down all their food in a matter of minutes. They stood up simultaneously and Michael leapt onto Shuichi's back gracefully. "Bye, Reiko!" Shuichi shouted over his shoulder as he tore out the door. But he crashed right into… K and Judy!

"Good morning, Shuichi!" Judy grinned at him. "I hope you had a good sleep. Michael, we have to go back to the Human Realm after breakfast."

"But I wanna stay with Shuichi!" Michael whined, refusing to get off Shuichi's back. "I don't wanna leave!"

"I'm sorry, Michael. You'll see Shuichi in three days, alright?" Judy smiled sympathetically, while K tore out a machine gun.

"If you continue whining, I suppose a couple of bullets could convince you!" K shouted joyfully. Shuichi's jaw dropped once again. Judy smacked K in the back of the head and dragged both her men away, leaving Shuichi alone.

Shuichi shook his head and skipped along until he found the staircase. As he was running up, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him. "L-Lord Yuki?" Shuichi took a step back. _Okay… that was unexpected…_ "Good morning!"

Lord Yuki just stared down at Shuichi. Hard. "Is something wrong?" Shuichi put a finger on his chin. "I had a bad dream last night. But then… you came and saved me!" Still no response from the blonde-haired demon lord. Shuichi began to feel nervous. "Why… why won't you talk to me? Did I do something wrong? Again?"

All of a sudden, Shuichi found his body squished between the wall and Lord Yuki. His cold amber eyes bored into Shuichi's purple ones. His heart began beating faster and faster. Then before he knew it, Lord Yuki was kissing him!

Shuichi was in shock. Kissing Lord Yuki was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him! Feeling such strong lips on his own… Shuichi began to kiss back and wrapped both arms around Lord Yuki's neck, bringing him closer.

Lord Yuki's arms went around Shuichi's waist. He pulled their bodies close together. They finally broke the kiss, breathing heavily. Shuichi was blushing madly and he finally got enough courage to look Lord Yuki in the eye. "If that's how you say 'Good morning', I don't mind if you don't talk to me…" He smiled softly. Lord Yuki responded by kissing Shuichi again. Sometimes… there's no need for words.

* * *

**Woop woop! Finally, they kiss! Hope all of you liked it! Chapter 6: The infamous Crimson finally shows his face! And he makes quite a first impression… What powers does he have up his sleeve? Look forward to it!**


	7. Chapter 6: Retribution, Not Revenge

Hey everyone! How goes it? ((That's my new phrase; I use it in school all the time.)) Ok... this chapter might seem a bit confusing at times... But at least you get to meet Crimson! Hope ya like him! ((I wrote a note to you, **delia**, b/c my compooper is being a little bitch and it won't let me e-mail you.))

To clari chan- Heck, I'm glad someone loves me. I usually don't get that, so you made my day. Any request you have for my fic, I'll take it. You made my gray day much brighter.

To lemur130- You'll find out what powers Ayaka has later. ((evil menacing grin)). But not in this chapter. Who knows... I might even kill her off just for the hell of it...

To Tsugath- Yay! A review!

To WhiteTopaz- Kissy cliffyhanger. Kissy cliffy. ((Say that five times fast!)) More kissing! Much more. Kissing is good for the soul.

To Phoenixtears4ever- I'm very pleased that you liked my chappie.

To Shirubaa Kitsuna- Okay... so this update wasn't exactly soon, but it's worth the wait.

To delia- ((Your note is at the end. Kinda long...))

To CrimsonTearsofPain- Hey! Part of your username is the name of Shuichi's demonic counterpart! How wicked is that?

To xunxin- Lol! Hold onto your joy, cuz here's the next chappie!

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**_CHAPTER SIX:_**

**_RETRIBUTION, NOT REVENGE _**

**_

* * *

_**

Lord Yuki and Shuichi were sitting on the stairs alone. They had gotten all their lip-locking out of their system. For now. "Lord Yuki?" Shuichi asked, leaning forward slightly. "Do you know where Ryuichi is? Reiko told me… but I forgot…" _I'm surprised I didn't get amnesia again! All I can remember is Lord Yuki's lips!_

"I'll take you." Lord Yuki stood up quickly, pulling Shuichi to his feet as well. He pulled Shuichi in for another mind-blowing kiss. Shuichi moaned into the kiss happily and his fingers found Lord Yuki's hair. Lord Yuki abruptly broke off the kiss and stared down at Shuichi. "Does the alcoholic allow you to call her only by her first name?"

"Yeah, she said so last night when I met her!" Shuichi responded joyfully.

"Very well. You may call me by my first name as well." The blonde ran a hand through his hair. _She must sense something in him… and I thought alcohol_ _ruined all demon senses…I also thought that the alcoholic hated everyone. She can't even stand her own son… Come to think of it… when was the last time she and Sakuya_ (AN- Thanks Delia!) _actually got along?_

"Really? Yuki, Yuki, YUUUUUUUUUKI!" Shuichi squealed happily, latching himself onto Yuki's arm.

"Don't abuse your privilege." Yuki hit Shuichi on the head, in order to get him off. "Hurry up. Sakuma wants to see you." Yuki began walking down the hallway and Shuichi had no choice but to follow.

_Yuki, Yuki, Yuki!_ Shuichi thought cheerfully, trailing along behind Yuki. Then he stopped dead in his tracks. "Yu… Yuki… Why did you kiss me? Won't you get in trouble?" _He has to marry Lady Ayaka so the phoenixes and the demons will be able to fight together! Am I messing up an alliance? Oh no!_

"What I do is my business." Yuki answered cryptically. (Say "cryptically" five times fast!) "And as for Ayaka, she already had an affair with another demon lord."

"Really? Who? Who?" Shuichi giggled curiously.

"Lord Nakano." Yuki replied emotionlessly. "Which was he wasn't at the celebration yesterday. For punishment, he had to spend the entire night locked in a cell. Tonight, it's her turn. Adultery is a serious crime; you know this. As a matter of fact, tomorrow I have to duel him for Ayaka."

"Why?" Shuichi frowned. "If she likes Lord Nakano, why can't she-"

"The only thing my old man cares about is comradeship. He doesn't care who he marries off, but the marriage must produce children. He told me I can split her skull open with the fires of Hell if I wanted to, but first I had to give him offspring." Yuki sighed openly. "So basically I have to keep her around until she has my kids and then she's gone."

"Oh. That seems… kind of heartless…" Shuichi shook his head.

"But she had to go and complicate things. Now the other demon lords are actually going to think _I_ care about her feelings…" Yuki narrowed his eyes. "She's already three months pregnant."

"After you dump her, will she go to Lord Nakano?" Shuichi realized that Yuki stopped walking, so he stopped as well. Yuki pointed to the open door in front of Shuichi and began walking away. "Wait! Yuki! Will I see you again?"

"If you're not late for dinner." Was Yuki's reply as he walked away. Shuichi smiled softly and bounded into the open room. He found Ryuichi lying in a white bed, glaring out the window.

Shuichi sat down on Ryuichi's bed, but Ryuichi still refused to meet his eyes. "Come on, Ryuichi! You can't stay mad at me forever!" The glare Shuichi received from Ryuichi was almost enough to convince him.

"He's gone. That coward left last night as soon as he woke up." Ryuichi's angry blue eyes glowered at Shuichi. "I hope you're happy!"

"I'm not, Ryuichi. But you were wrong in your actions…" Shuichi sighed, scratching his pink hair in frustration. "If you had killed your father that night, it would have been a serious offense!"

"Oh. And I suppose you think your little love affair with Yuki isn't?" Ryuichi snapped back at Shuichi. "I warned you, you idiot! You're in too deep!"

"No, I'm not. And besides, I can take care of myself!" Shuichi crossed his arms over his chest crossly. "And why are you moping around in bed? I know your wounds are healed by now! Did Lord Tatsuha come to visit you yet?"

Hearing that name, Ryuichi's eyes widened. He sat up in bed and grabbed Shuichi by the front of his shirt. "_Why would he?_" He asked dangerously, ignoring the fear in Shuichi's eyes. _How does he even know... That demon is NOTHING to me. Not anymore..._

"Because… he was probably… worried…" Shuichi trailed off as he saw his father slowly materialize into the room. Ryuichi reluctantly let Shuichi go, under the glare of Lord Sakuya Shindou. "Morning, Father!"

"Good morning, Shuichi." Lord Sakuya settled his purple orbs on Ryuichi. "Since you're up and feeling better, get out of bed. Now that your father ran off, you have to carry out all of his duties. I've given you the day off, but tomorrow you start working."

"Why should I?" Ryuichi snapped darkly.

"Sakuma. Don't disrespect me." Lord Sakuya replied in the same tone. "Now then, Shuichi, I've seen how your good side has grown. I'd like to see how Crimson has grown as well. Don't be shy, off with the cross."

"Are you… sure?" But even as he said this, Shuichi's hands went around his cross. He slowly pulled it off. For the moment, he felt relieved. Once again, he could retreat to his sanctuary, where no one could hurt him. Shuichi was lost, lost in a faraway place where he didn't even exist.

Bright light filled up the entire room and a clinging sound was heard. Shuichi's cross clattered to the ground and the light disappeared. A tall young man with long blood red hair stood in Shuichi's place, looking around menacingly. He wore a blood red, hooded jacket and loose-fitting red pants.

"Nice to see you, pops." The man grinned, showing off his lethal fangs. He flexed his claws as if he was bored. "Hope you didn't forget my name. It's Crimson." His dark blue eyes glanced at Ryuichi. "What are you looking at, Sakuma? Upset that Shu-chan listened to his Daddy and not you?"

Ryuichi glared back at Crimson. "I'm not in the mood for your mouth." Ryuichi stood up, ready to leave. Crimson smirked in reply.

"Running away from your problems? Funny that seems like the type of thing Shuichi would do." Crimson turned to look at his father once again. "What do you want, anyway?"

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't talk to me in that tone of voice." Lord Sakuya frowned visibly. "If I have to teach you respect, I will."

"I don't respect you. Shuichi does. It's as simple as that, pops." Crimson sneered at his father. "I'm Shuichi's negative side. Shuichi's my positive side. Neither of us plan on changing anytime soon. What, you think I should change my agenda just because Daddy-Dearest decided to come back in the picture? Where were you ten years ago?

"I'm not going to be as forgiving as Shuichi, old man. You'd better not forget that. Why should I respect you? Because of your negligence, my life was ruined! I lost my mother! And Shuichi lost his memory." Crimson turned away from his father. "I loathe you. What's so good about that alcoholic anyway? She's definitely not as beautiful as my mother. Her personality is embarrassing and appalling! What was so good about her that you had to leave my mother? She probably doesn't even love you!"

"You're right." Lord Sakuya sat down in the nearest chair. "It was an arranged marriage. Reiko and Ayaka are half-sisters. Their father is desperate to get allies anyway he can, because his clan is slowly dying out. He's quickly marrying off all his children and producing even more."

"Don't care." Crimson rolled his eyes, turning to Ryuichi. "Have you taken an oath of silence or something? If you had kept your anger under control, maybe you would have a chance to talk with your father."

"My father isn't as reasonable as yours." Ryuichi snapped.

"Ugh, God. Stop being such a baby." Crimson smiled knowingly. "I remember a time when you used to act like a baby. I remember when you had a personality just like Shuichi's. Whatever happened to that, Sakuma?" Ryuichi's hurt gaze didn't even faze Crimson. "Oh, I bet you wish I had amnesia, just like Shu-chan! I'm bringing up all kinds of painful memories, aren't I?"

"Shut up, Crimson!" Ryuichi's body trembled with anger.

"Don't you think he's been through enough?" Lord Sakuya cut in.

"I wouldn't be talking here. You didn't even apologize for ruining my life. And I'm sure you didn't apologize for ruining Sakuma's." Crimson scowled at his father. "What's the matter Sakuma? You look angry enough to hit me. Oh, that's right: You already did. I don't Yuki would be too happy if you hit me again."

Ryuichi's eyes widened and he covered his face with his hands. "God, why do you hate me so much, Crimson? I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" There were tears falling from Ryuichi's eyes as he sunk to the floor, holding his body close to him.

"Let me guess. This is the point where I burst into tears, hold you tight, and apologize profusely. In that case, I should let Shuichi back out." Crimson said coldly. "And stop your sniveling already! I don't hate you…"

"You could have fooled me…" Ryuichi snapped bitterly, wiping his tears away. "Do you enjoy hurting me? Does it please you?" Crimson for once, stayed silent. Ryuichi's bright eyes stared into Crimson's dark ones.

Crimson reluctantly sat down in front of Ryuichi. "I'm only saying this once Sakuma: I'm sorry. There, are you happy? You've finally reduced me to a regretful, filthy, guilty half-demon!" He rolled his eyes and wiped the rest of Ryuichi's tears from his cheeks. "You'll always be a father to me, Sakuma. Don't betray my trust by hurting Shuichi. God, now I'm a sappy, regretful, filthy, guilty half-demon…"

Ryuichi finally cracked a smile and his tears completely vanished. Crimson quickly stood up, helping Ryuichi to his feet. "Thank you, Crimson." Ryuichi smiled softly at the annoyed half-demon.

"Don't think I'm going to smile back." Crimson scowled at his father. "Can I leave now? Unless there's a fight going on, I don't feel like coming out."

"If Shuichi had let you out yesterday, would you have killed my father?" Ryuichi asked Crimson. _Most likely… Crimson lusts for blood…_

"Your father is your business. I wouldn't have let you kill him, either. It would have destroyed you. You've already lost so much because of him. We just got our freedom back, Sakuma. Why should we throw it all away for trivial things that don't matter? And as for Yuki and Shuichi… let them be. They both deserve happiness." And with that, Crimson put the silver cross back on and vanished.

After a great flash of light, Shuichi was standing there dumbly, looking around. "I'm still here? I thought Crimson would've taken off or something." He looked at Ryuichi. "Ryuichi, are you still mad at me? I'm really sorry!"

Ryuichi automatically opened his arms and Shuichi jumped in them. "I'm so glad you're not mad anymore!" Then Shuichi pulled away from him with a gasp. "Did Crimson convince you?"

"You'd be surprised how conniving he can be, in his own sadistic way." Ryuichi smirked, ruffling Shuichi's pink hair. "So… what now, Lord Sakuya?"

The demon lord could only stare at Shuichi in shock. "How could something… so evil be in my son?" Lord Sakuya was in shock. "My son, I am sorry that abomination has infected your body. I will get Reiko to find an exorcist to rid you of that fiend. Never again will he torture your soul."

"F-Father? What are you talking about?" Shuichi's amethyst orbs widened in astonishment. "I know Crimson can be really mean at times… but he can't help himself! Just like it's my nature to commend, it's his to condemn. We're complete opposites and we can't live without each other."

"You don't know what you're talking about, son. The evil in you has already started to take over your mind." Lord Sakuya shuddered, as if he thought Crimson was trying to take over him as well. "I will have it removed at once! No son of mine will be possessed!"

"He's not possessed, Lord Sakuya." Ryuichi ran a hand through his short hair. "Crimson is a part of Shuichi and Shuichi is a part of Crimson. You can't separate them like a pieces of a puzzle. It would destroy both of them."

"Nonsense!" Lord Sakuya fluttered his fingers and ice began shooting at Shuichi's cross. Shuichi instinctively dodged the ice and looked at Ryuichi fearfully. "Shuichi, hold still! I will destroy the cross and the evil that manifested itself in you will be gone forever!"

"No! No, you can't!" Shuichi was almost in tears. "Father, please stop! You don't understand! You can't take Crimson away from me!" _Crimson and Ryuichi… they are my hope, my assurance, my strength. Without them… I'm nothing… I won't let him do this to me! He already did enough to harm me!_

"Shuichi?" Ryuichi could sense a difference in Shuichi's aura. "What's wrong?" Shuichi put both hands on his cross, which began to emit blood red light.

_Crimson, Crimson! I need you! Father is trying to kill you!_ Shuichi screamed in his mind, his eyes scrunched shut and his fingers clutching his cross as if it was his lifeline. Lord Sakuya began shooting ice shards at Shuichi. _CRIMSON!_

"_I hear you, idiot."_ Crimson's bored voice said in Shuichi's head. _"I was trying to sleep. Can't you handle this yourself? How did I ever end up with a weakling like- What the **HELL** is that old man doing? Alright, that does it! Shuichi, you know what we have to do. We're getting rid of the old man…"_

"Together!" Shuichi's eyes flashed open. They were as red as Crimson's hair. His short pink hair had grown longer and thinner. "Old man, you're going down!" Every ice shard sent at Shuichi was immediately dissolved. The teen sprayed them all with boiling water and reduced them to vapor.

"Oh great… They fused." Ryuichi rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Lord Sakuya. When those two work together, I can't even beat them. Crimichi…" The being in question smirked wickedly and stuck his tongue out at Lord Sakuya.

"You can't?" Lord Sakuya was in shock. Every demon knew how strong Ryuichi was. For him to admit that a younger half-demon was stronger than him… That was insane. "You must've trained my son well. Too well…"

"I trained both of them too well. I wanted them to survive at all costs. I suppose I _am_ their father, because compared to _you_, I actually cared about the two of them." Ryuichi narrowed his blue eyes.

Lord Sakuya sighed and closed his purple eyes. "Then I must get rid of them both. My son is suffering from a disease. That infestation, Crimson has taken over my son's mind, body, and soul. Crimson tainted my little boy."

"Crimson saved your little boy!" Ryuichi exploded with anger, and there was blue fire around him to prove it. "Crimson needs Shuichi and Shuichi needs Crimson! Crimson is not an infestation or a disease. He never tainted anyone! How can you make up warped ideas about someone you don't even know?"

"Go ahead, old man… try and kill us." Crimichi sneered, showing off his lethal fangs. "I'll to send you to your grave, just as you sent my mother to hers!"

"Who said _I_ was going to do it?" Lord Sakuya cleared his throat. "Yuki! Lord Yuki, I convene you!" Crimichi could only stare in shock as Yuki himself materialized in the room. He took one look at Crimichi and smirked slightly. "You will do away with this atrocity that used to be my son, Lord Yuki."

"If you hadn't been so negligent with your family, your son wouldn't be an atrocity." Yuki crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at Lord Sakuya.

"Now there is a pot calling the kettle black…" Lord Sakuya's eyes flashed red. "If I recall, it was you and your brother who-" He broke off as a fireball smacked him right in the face. He glared angrily at Ryuichi, who was responsible for the fire. "The audacity! I am your superior!"

"Respect is not given; it is earned. You are no better than my own father, who feared my power. Will you have your son killed because he is different?" Ryuichi was seething mad. "It is _your_ fault that your son turned out this way."

"Do _not_ call me negligent, Sakuya." Yuki uttered ominously. "I am nothing of the sort." His eyes found Ryuichi's and they shared a knowing look.

_What does Yuki have to do with…_ Crimichi frowned. The physical bond between Crimson and Shuichi was broken. Why? Because one side of Crimichi knew what their father was talking about, but the other side did not. In a flash of bright white light, Shuichi was left kneeling down and panting hard.

Crimson was floating in the air. He was only a floating soul now, momentarily hovering over Shuichi. Crimson's soul hurriedly zipped inside Shuichi's cross and the pink-haired teen was now strong enough to stand up.

Shuichi shook his pink hair and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about that. I just got… so angry. And Crimson actually..." _Crimson used to hate fusing. He either calls me a wimp or advises me to let him take over if I ever ask him for help during a fight. But it's unusual for him to readily propose to fuse._

"It's easier for you to fuse with him." Ryuichi sighed. "You're going to be seen as a threat. In your fused state, you give off a lot of demon energy. Just about everyone in the mansion is going to want to know who the strong demon was."

"Why does that make him a threat?" Yuki arched an eyebrow. Shuichi sauntered over to Yuki and timidly grasped onto his arm. Yuki looked down at him, but said nothing.

"Shuichi is a half-demon. Everything he does sets a precedent for other half-demons out there. Especially since he's the son of an eminent demon lord." Ryuichi sighed running his fingers through his hair. "If anyone finds out about your fusion technique, every other half-demon will want an 'alternate personality'."

"They're too much trouble…" Lord Sakuya muttered. It almost seemed as if he had forgotten about his anger. "Someone rounded up a radical group of half-demons in all three realms and I have to clean up after their destruction."

"Umm… Yu-Yuki?" Shuichi was blushing slightly. The demon in question turned his cold gaze on the smaller boy. "I was wondering if… if you wanted to train with me later…"

Yuki smirked in reply. "I trust I don't need your permission to take your boy out to train." Oddly enough, while Yuki said this to Lord Sakuya, he was actually looking right at Ryuichi.

"Fine." Ryuichi and Lord Sakuya said simultaneously. Then they looked at each other in an aggravated manner.

"Can we leave now?" Shuichi said in a whining voice, sensing the tension between Ryuichi and his own father. In response, Yuki basically dragged him out of the room and down the hallway. "Yuki? Where are we going to train?"

"Do you _honestly_ want to fight me?" Yuki leered down at Shuichi.

"Well… later I suppose. I already fought my brother; I don't want to fight anyone else." Shuichi smiled brightly at Yuki. "Thanks for spending time with me! I don't care what we do!" _Yuki, Yuki, Yuki! Yuki- Why is he looking at me like that? He's so... beautiful!_

Yuki stopped walking at this comment. He turned and gazed down at Shuichi curiously, as if scrutinizing the smaller boy. Shuichi felt nervous so he did the only thing that came to his mind. He jumped up on Yuki and kissed him right on the lips.

Yuki stumbled back from the acquired weight ((Shuichi)), but expertly wrapped his arms around the boy's small, slim waist. Shuichi's hands went around Yuki's neck. And imagine, all this movement without breaking the stupefying kiss.

_I'm good at multi-tasking! _Shuichi thought happily as he submissively opened his mouth. _How many times have I done this soullessly, only because I had to? Now… I'm doing this completely for me. For my… happiness._

Shuichi moaned as Yuki's warm, wet tongue began investigating his mouth. Let's just say… twisting does not have to refer to the usage of words. But unfortunately, both males needed to breathe. So regrettably, the tongue twisting fest ended quite abruptly.

"Wow…" Shuichi's eyes were closed and he was gasping for air. Yuki said nothing and put his chin on top of Shuichi's pink hair. He loved being in Yuki's safe embrace. For once it wasn't Ryuichi making him feel stress-free.

"You surprised me. I didn't expect you to be a proficient kisser." Yuki gently place Shuichi on the ground. "Did you practice on Ryuichi?"

"Yes and no." Shuichi opened one purple eye. "And Yuki… I'd rather not tell you about the 'no' part. I'll tell you eventually… I promise."

"I understand. You may ask me a question." Yuki nodded promptly and began to walk down the hallway again. Shuichi trailed after him, thinking of what to ask Yuki. They walked up some steps.

"Hmmm… tell me something about your family." Shuichi's eyes widened in excitement. "I want to know all about them! It's only fair… because you know all about mine…" _I know that Lord Tatsuha is his younger brother and his father is the devil. Wow… that's a lot to live up to. If he has to be the devil one day… will he have to live in Hell forever? Will I able to visit? Will our… whatever is going on between us… even reach that far? I never thought that love at first sight actually existed. But now… now I want Yuki around more than anything._

"Interesting questioning." Yuki concurred. "Very well. My father is commonly referred to as Lord Lucifer. He sometimes works for days without any rest. He took over for the last Lord Lucifer five centuries ago. He believes that only the first-born child had importance in the family, be it male or female. I happened to be the first-born child.

"My father began my training as soon as I could crawl. He did not allow me to interact with lesser demons, humans, or angels. I was to follow him everywhere and memorize what he did. Because one day… I will be the next Lord Lucifer. I will have to carry out the legacy of the devils before me." Yuki stopped walking. The two were now outside Shuichi's room. They turned to each other tentatively.

* * *

**Ok! Another cliffy, but I kinda ran out of ideas. Who should I pair Crimson with? Hmmm... Suggestions, anyone? Chapter 7: The Official Emotional Rollercoaster Chapter! Chaos in the Demon Realm and Down Below! Shuichi learns more about his past through Reiko. Will he be able to take the truth? And later, Ayaka confronts Shuichi. What does she know? **

**Ummm... I'm not sure if my e-mail is working... so could you try and e-mail me, Delia?**

**Hello, Delia! **

**I decided to e-mail you, b/c my screen name nothing like my user name. Just so I don't confuse you, ya know? Anyway, I was thinking about your suggestion of giving me outfits and frankly, I think that's a great idea! But, I'd like to wait to use the outfits until after Lord Sakuya's (lol) birthday celebration is over. **

**Cuz, think about it. You're a prominent demon lord, one of the highest in the demon society. Do you really want all of your colleagues and rivals to see your first-born son walking around like a slut? Lol. So after my next chappie, I'd love to take you up on your offer. **


	8. Chapter 7: Why Have You Forsaken Me?

**Okay. Here's to another chappie of Prediction of the Pink. ((lifts wine glass full of orange soda)) Wow... I'm mature. Anyway... I don't own "Love Me" or "Shinjitsu no Uta". **

To Boldness... TT- Ummm... No offense but your review was kind of useless to me... But I suppose the "customer" is always right. So from now on, no bold. Happy?

To Kiharu-sama- Glad you loved it! I love my ficcy, too!

To ReadorDie214- Sorry to disappoint, but you're wrong about Crimson. ((wink wink)) And thanks for loving my fic!

To strawberries and napkins- I'm not sure what "mooilicious" is, but I'm guessing it's some kind of compliment. Lol. Thanks for reviewing!

To delia- I'm not sure what to say because I'm currently talking to you as I type... But I'm eternally grateful to you for your outfits and everything. I hate broccoli!

To xunxin- Woop Woop! Wait no longer, the chappie is HERE!

To cryearthstearsfalltou- Wow thank you very much! Glad you like my descriptions!

To lemur130- Dude... you must be like psychic or something... Because I had that idea from like the beginning. Psychic connection!

To Nirina Illusier- Sorry bout the cliffy. Lol! I don't think this ending would qualify as one.

To Shirubaa Kitsune- No cliffy this chappie! Enjoy!

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**_CHAPTER SEVEN:_**

**_WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME? _**

**_

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_**

"Wow… how did we get back here? I didn't even realize it!" Shuichi opened the door to him room and bounded on in. Yuki slowly followed after him. There were new clothes on Shuichi's bed. He skipped over to them and picked them up. "OOOOOOOOOH! Yuki, I'm going to try them on!"

Shuichi winked at Yuki and shoved him out of the door. He quickly stripped and threw on his new clothes. Shuichi was now wearing a short, red tinted vest that reached the top of his stomach, with a small black shirt underneath it. He wore a long red skirt and black jeans with a black belt that had rubies embedded in it. He had red tinted shoes on also.

A chain went from the bottom of his vest and lowered slightly to swing around his stomach and back. There were two other chains that wrapped around his stomach, not too loose, but not too tight. He had a big black bracelet/armguard on his left hand. ((Delia, you're the best! Thanks! See... only two times!))

Shuichi happily twirled around and swung his door open wide. Yuki stepped in and eyed Shuichi, desire apparent in his eyes. "You should wear outfits like these more often." He quickly lowered his face and captured Shuichi's lips.

"Yuki, how old are you?" Shuichi quickly broke the kiss, as his curiosity overtook him. _Hee, hee, hee. I just have to know… Yuki, Yuki, Yuki! _

"Four hundred." Yuki raised an eyebrow. _Why does that matter?_

"REALLY? Wow, Yuki, you're really old!" Shuichi's purple orbs widened largely. "I'm a baby compared to you!"

"Thanks for making me sound like a pedophile." Yuki narrowed his golden orbs at Shuichi. _Is age really a problem? I didn't think it would matter…_

"Aw, YUUUUUUUUKI!" Shuichi latched himself onto Yuki's arm. "Do you like my outfit? Do you? Do you?"

"Of course I do, idiot." Yuki kissed Shuichi's forehead. They sat down on Shuichi's bed peacefully for a couple of minutes, until Shuichi broke the silence.

"Yuki, let's go outside!" Shuichi jumped up and ran outside his balcony, not waiting for Yuki's reply. He stared outside joyfully. Yuki joined him silently and the two gazed off into space absently. Until… "YUUUUUUUKI! Can I sing for you? Can I, can I? Please?"

"Why of course." Yuki said dryly, massaging his forehead. "Do you have to squeal like a baby?" He leaned against the rail and closed his eyes comfortably.

"Eh-hem!" Shuichi loudly cleared his throat, ignoring Yuki's comment. _What should I sing for Yuki? Yuki, Yuki, Yuki… Hmmm… OH I KNOW! _((This is "Love Me" from Yami no Matsuei a.k.a. Descendants of Darkness.))

"**ARUMIkan no marui yen o mashikaku ni orinagara**

**kimi o matsu machi kado sa**

**nakami no ekitai wa mou nurukute nomenai kedo**

**shikatanaku motsu ore sa.**

**mukashi kiita kanashiki machi no MERODEI o omoidashite**

**hisashiburi ni narashitara hitotsu no NAZO ga toketa no sa**

**hokouyou no shingou ga aoi ni kawari jinrui ga**

**ugoki hajimeta keredo**

**itsumo no you ni ore dake kono mama sa ni, san bo ugoku kedo**

**yami no naka de ore o utsusu GARASUKEESU ni kazarareta**

**ningyou ga sakki kara kowai kao de ore o miteru-"**

Shuichi immediately broke off. Something was amiss. Yuki's eyes snapped open. A few seconds later, it happened. They both heard a piercing, birdlike shriek of pain that probably rang throughout the entire manor. Right after the shriek, an immense burst of demon energy swirled around everything.

"Yu-Yuki… what's going on?" Shuichi shivered. He could feel how strong the demon was. Another earsplitting shriek of pain sounded and another wave of hot demon energy blew through them.

"It's Reiko… she tried to commit suicide again…" Yuki rolled his eyes. "When will she learn? It's almost impossible for a demon of her class to die."

Two figures materialized right in front of the duo. Ryuichi and Tatsuha. Both refused to look at each other. "Yuki, we've got even more trouble! We've got to back home and fast!" Tatsuha said breathlessly.

"To Hell? Why?" Shuichi frowned, looking at Tatsuha.

"Father is on a rampage! There's no time to explain! If we don't calm him down, entire cities in all three realms could go up in flames!" Tatsuha shouted.

Yuki's eyes widened in pure shock. "What more could go wrong? Does Sakuya need me to restrain Reiko?" He frowned, looking down at Shuichi, who was extremely confused. Another shriek made them all jump.

"Forget Reiko!" Tatsuha grabbed onto his brother's arm. "All Hell **_will _**break loose if we don't get there!"

"It's that bad?" Ryuichi scowled. "You'd better go then." _But… what happened? What could have possibly made Lord Lucifer so mad? Then again… he always had a short temper…_

"It's Ayaka. Before the authorities locked her in a cell, they had to give her a physical. You know, for the baby's sake. But when the results came back…" Tatsuha shook his head. "The baby belongs to Lord Nakano, not you. And… Father was the first to find out…"

Tatsuha and Yuki almost dropped to the floor. Shuichi was slightly relieved, but still very scared. Another wild screech made them feel even more unnerved, if possible. "T-Tatsuha… Let's go." Yuki shook his head. "How many have died already?" _This is serious… Not that I care who that bimbo screws… But Father…_

"Uh… fifty humans, seventy-three demons, and two dozen half-demons… No one gave me the statistics on the zombies though." Tatsuha sighed, tugging on Yuki's arm. Without another word, they both vanished into thin air, leaving Ryuichi and Shuichi alone.

"Umm… Ryuichi? I don't exactly get what's going on…" Shuichi turned to Ryuichi and jumped as another pained cry rang through his ears.

"Lord Lucifer wanted Yuki's marriage to be successful. Not only did she cheat on him, dishonoring both their families, but now she's having another lord's baby. This is a huge scandal that Lord Lucifer does _not_ want on his plate. He has an extremely short fuse and hates failure of any kind." Ryuichi sighed. "For all we know, he could have possessed Reiko in insane fury."

After another one of Reiko's shrieks, a new deafening sound came. A loud rumbling sound coming from the ground shook everything. "I'd say by now Yuki and Tatsuha have reached Lord Lucifer." Ryuichi sighed as another shriek and quake once again disturbed the peace.

"What do we do?" Shuichi's eyes widened in concern.

"I'm sure Yuki and Tatsuha can convince Lord Lucifer to kill no more than five hundred beings. As for Reiko, I'm sure Sakuya and Manchu are working on her right now." Ryuichi shrugged and sat down. "There's nothing we can do except wait for the noise to finally end."

"No! Reiko needs our help! She doesn't seem to like Manchu or Sakuya for that matter. How can _they_ help her?" Shuichi shook his head stubbornly. _Reiko seems to like me… and she even accepted me, even though I'm a half-demon. She even protected me from Manchu, I think…_ Yet another shriek and tremor occurred.

"Shuichi, stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." Ryuichi snapped out. "You're in too deep with Yuki and… a suicidal demon like Reiko is too dangerous for you to handle. She could kill you, Shuichi."

"You don't know that!" Shuichi clenched his fists. "I'm going to help Reiko, whether you like it or not!" And with that, Shuichi jumped off the balcony and nearly broke his neck as he landed on some bushes.

Shuichi shook the leaves from his pink hair and placed one hand on his cross. _Crimson! I need your demon senses! Where is Reiko?_ He shouted inside his head, frantically looking around for some kind of sign.

_Why should I help that alcoholic?_ Crimson snapped back. _How can you even propose helping_- He broke off and Shuichi heard a pained sigh in his head. _You can't remember anything. You're useless… Reiko is in the left tower behind the mansion. Sakuya, Manchu, and Ayaka are with her. You'd better be careful. Tohma is on his way. You might not like what you see._

"Who's Tohma?" But even as Shuichi spoke the name, he shivered in premonition. He heard Ryuichi's voice and began running around the mansion. He went around the left side of the mansion, dodging bushes and trees.

Shuichi burst into the tall black left skyscraper and a huge burst of flame shot out at him. The fire immediately turned into ice shards and dropped to the ground. Lord Sakuya, Manchu, and Lady Ayaka stared at him in pure shock.

The tower was completely void of any objects. There wasn't even a door, just an opening. There was only one floor in the tower, the ground they were all standing on. There seemed to be no way to reach the top of the tower.

The entire tower was in flames on the inside. There was a black bubble levitating in the middle of the air and it was giving off wild shrieks and immense amounts of demon energy. Burst of fire were shooting out everywhere.

"IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" A high-pitched voice shrieked. Then complete silence. "Shuichi? Is that you?" A quiet, scared voice whispered. "Shuichi, I'm sorry…"

"Reiko? Reiko, I'm here!" Shuichi ran past his father and put himself even closer to the black bubble. "Reiko, why are you doing this?"

"IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Reiko answered, shooting fire, which was now spurting out green acid.

"Get out of here!" Lord Sakuya froze some more fire, temporarily protecting Manchu and Lady Ayaka.

"Sister! Please, stop this!" Lady Ayaka shouted, shooting a glare at Shuichi. "You're only making things worse! Leave, you pest!" She hissed at the pink-haired boy. Shuichi scowled and looked back at Manchu.

"Mother… please, I beg you…" Manchu spoke up. "Please stop blaming yourself. You did nothing wrong."

"I'm… not… leaving!" Shuichi shouted angrily and looked back up at the black bubble. "Reiko! Reiko, come out of there!"

"Son. If I have to remove you, I will." Lord Sakuya's eyes glowed red once as a warning. "You are in no position to help Reiko. You cannot help her."

"Neither can you!" Shuichi shouted back. "Reiko, what are you sorry for?"

"IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Reiko screamed out, releasing even more flames. A large quake shook everything. "SEKI IS CALLING! SEKI IS CALLING!"

_Seki… that's my mother's name!_ Shuichi's eyes widened. "Why… why is my mother calling you?" His chin quivered slightly.

"Stop upsetting my mother!" Manchu shouted furiously, but amazingly enough, Lord Sakuya held him back. "What are you doing, Father?"

"IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S MY FAULT, IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Reiko shrieked out. "SHE DIED, SHE DIED, SHE DIED! I DIDN'T WANT TO! I DIDN'T WANT TO! BUT HE MADE ME!" The flames around them all intensified, if possible. The acid began burning through everything in sight. Ayaka screamed in pain and ran out of the tower, the acid burning her skin.

_But… what is she talking about…_ Shuichi shook his head fearfully. _Who made her do something… and why didn't she want to… Did Reiko… kill my mother? _"Reiko… did you kill my mother?" He spoke those horrid words.

"NO! NEVER! I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE SAKUYA AWAY, BUT HE MADE ME!" Reiko cried out. "HE MADE ME, HE MADE ME!"

"Who made you, Reiko?" Shuichi shouted out, tears falling from his eyes. "Who made you…" A large tremble came and Shuichi could see a wide crack in the ground. His tears blinded his vision for a moment.

"FATHER… MADE ME TAKE SAKUYA AWAY… FROM SEKI…" The black bubble popped, spraying out black, explosive chemicals everywhere. Lord Sakuya jumped over to Shuichi and held his son close to him.

All was silent for a few minutes. Then both father and son heard a plopping noise. Reiko's fallen, battered, bloody body was lying on the ground. The two ran over to her. Lord Sakuya picked her up and ran out of the tower, Shuichi following close behind. As soon as they exited, the entire tower collapsed.

"That… was close…" Shuichi let out a deep breath. Lord Sakuya placed Reiko on the grass, underneath a large tree with purple flowers. Her lifeless red eyes stared up at Shuichi and a chill ran down his spine. "Reiko… Reiko, are you okay?"

"Shuichi…" Lord Sakuya placed a hand on Shuichi's shoulder and he turned around. There were tears in Lord Sakuya's eyes. "Thank you for saving her. I… I thought she was really…" The purple flower petals began falling around them calmly.

"Father…" Shuichi's eyes filled with tears. A single tear fell down on Reiko's cheek. She blinked and moved her nose. "Reiko!"

Reiko's body shuddered and she coughed up blood. Lord Sakuya picked her up and placed her in his lap. "Reiko, we're here. Why did you try and do it again? Why?" Lord Sakuya choked out, silent tears falling. The soft wind blew through all of them. The day seemed to be too still, after all the shrieks and quakes. Sunlight peered through the large branches of the majestic tree.

"I saw him… his smile, his hair, his laugh." Reiko mumbled. "All Seki. I ruined her, I ruined her. Father made me marry you. I betrayed Seki. I betrayed Seki. She loved you… and he made me take you away…"

"Reiko… I'm sorry I remind you of my mother…" Shuichi shook his head. "But… you make it sound like you knew my mother."

Reiko let out a cackling mad laugh. "Knew her? She was my best friend. I introduced her to Sakuya." Reiko laughed until she coughed up more blood.

Shuichi's mouth dropped open in shock. He turned to Lord Sakuya with a look of disbelief on his face. "Reiko… I don't understand…" Shuichi shook his head, even more tears falling. "I can't remember…"

"Father wanted me to settle down and get married, so I ran away to the human realm. I began drinking the blood of humans and Seki found me. She probably would've killed me, because I made her sister a vampire. But I promised to restore her sister if she spared my life.

"Amazingly enough, we both kept up our ends of the bargain. Father sent some demons to the human realm to bring me back. Seki and I defeated them together. I explained my situation to her and she miraculously decided to help me. For a whole year, Seki and I managed to avoid my father and his demon slaves.

"But Seki was only human and I couldn't risk her getting killed. One day, my father himself came to the human realm. One touch of his feathered wing and Seki would've been ash. So I agreed to come back, but only if Seki came with me. We became notorious in the demon realm, just as we were in the human realm.

"A demon lord was turning one thousand years old, so naturally there was a huge birthday celebration. Father told me that I was to wed with one of the demon lords there. Sakuya was there and I disliked him immediately. But for Seki… it was love at first sight. So I pretended to court Sakuya, just so Seki could see him.

"It didn't take long for Sakuya to fall in love with Seki. They were perfect for each other. But my father was running out of patience. He forced me to marry Sakuya, so I did the only thing I could. I ran away and left Seki and Sakuya to their happiness. I sealed myself away, deep in a hidden forest.

"Two years later, my father's demon scouts found me. They took me back to his manor, where the three of you were living happily. Sakuya had no choice. He had to take me back and discard Seki and his own son. I was devastated. I had failed in keeping my best friend's happiness. So I tried to kill myself. It didn't work, because I'm half-phoenix, so my regeneration skills are flawless. My father was livid at this and hired an assassin to kill off Seki and you.

"But King Sakuma got involved in the assassination and he always messes things up. Seki died, but you survived. And now you're back… with her smile, with her hair, with her laugh…" Reiko shuddered violently.

"Reiko… none of that was your fault." Shuichi amazed himself by speaking up. "You tried your best to keep my parents together. And I'm sure my mother isn't angry at you. Because I'm not. Because of you… I know a bit more about my mother. About myself. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't have been born."

"Oh Shuichi…" Reiko broke free of Lord Sakuya's hold and threw herself at Shuichi. "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…" Her body shuddered with her sobs. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"I forgave you, Reiko." Shuichi smiled softly and pet Reiko's silver hair, which was also stained with her blood. "But you need to rest so your body will recover." _I wonder if Crimson knew all this?_

"I will… but… sing for me. Seki used to sing for me and my nightmares always went away." Reiko murmured against Shuichi's chest.

_How can I sing now? I'm too sad… but if Reiko wants me to- Wait a minute! My mother used to sing? Wow… I wonder what else Reiko can tell me about my mother._ Shuichi grinned slowly, searching his mind for a song:

"**Akaku nijimu taiyou wa subete o**

**terashite kita ima mo mukashi mo**

**kono yuuyami ni egaiteru souzou wa**

**hatashite kono te ni oenai mono na no ka?**

**Motto ima ijou ni hadaka ni natte**

**ikite yuku jutsu oshiete yo**

**honno sukoshi dake watashi o yogoshite**

**sou yatte hitori kizutsuitari**

**mawari o nakushita to shite mo**

**Shinjitsu no uta wa kono mune ni nagare**

**Arasoi wa mada tsuzukun darou**

**dono michi ima ga taisetsu na no sa**

**gamushara ni natte miotoshite kita mono**

**tatoeba dare ka no yasashii hohoemi mo**

**Eien o shireba donna kurayami mo**

**itami mo itsuka kiete**

**sou yatte ima wa watashi o yogoshite**

**zutto mukashi mita tenkuu no shiro ni**

**itsuka wa tadoritsukeru**

**Shinjitsu no uta o michishirube ni shite-"**

Shuichi finally broke off as he felt Reiko breathing softly against his chest. Her eyes had finally closed and he stared up at Lord Sakuya. Lord Sakuya picked her up and gave him a grateful, but deeply saddened look. He walked away, leaving Shuichi sitting there under the tree, amongst all the debris.

Shuichi didn't even realize that he had been wounded until he tried to stand up a few moments later. Pain shot through his body and it was then that he grasped that the blood on the ground belonged to Reiko and himself as well. It hurt to move. It hurt to think about moving. It hurt to think about the pain of moving.

"YOU!" A voice shrieked out at him. It was Lady Ayaka! She ran over, her long brown hair flying behind her. "First you steal _MY_ Yuki and now you're taking my sister? Who you do you think you are, you half-breed fag?" Orange and yellow energy began swirling around her.

Shuichi stared up at her in shock. He could hear his cross pulsing with fury. Crimson was ordering him to take off his cross. Crimson was lusting for her blood. But Shuichi knew how much trouble he'd been in if he killed a noble.

"Are you listening to me?" Lady Ayaka stomped on the ground. "You look up at me, you scum! Fag scum, for that matter!" Shuichi winced at the coldness of her words. Why was she so angry, if she had an affair with Lord Nakano in the first place? "I knew something was up when I saw Yuki dancing with you! He _NEVER_ looked at me like that!"

"Why would _ANYONE_ want to _dance_ or _look_ at _you_?" Shuichi finally lost his temper. "Shut up and leave me alone!" _I should take off my cross and let her have it. Let Crimson spill her blood, so it can join Reiko's and mine…_ Lady Ayaka knelt down and stared at Shuichi dangerously. The blow came so quickly Shuichi couldn't dodge it.

Lady Ayaka had slapped him and his frail body had flown a few feet. The orange and yellow energy changed into a bunch of small flaming birds. His body crashed to the ground painfully. He got up angrily, forgetting about his pain, knowing by now that his eyes were glowing red. Lady Ayaka looked slightly frightened and was beginning to back away.

Shuichi drew both his twin daggers and was going to leap out at Lady Ayaka. The blazing birds began flying at him. He was going to slash her throat until she died, but something caught his attention. Even Lady Ayaka was distracted by it. They both stared upward at the sky.

A single golden feather (which was tinted with black and had bright red fire on its edges) was slowly floating down to Shuichi. It fluttered softly to the top of Shuichi's head and released a flash of blinding light. The birds heading at Shuichi were engulfed and destroyed by the light.

"FOR SAVING MY DAUGHTERS." A booming, stately ((AN- a vocabulary word from last week. Go me!)) voice shouted as the light vanished and the feather plopped to the ground. Shuichi looked behind him. The huge skyscraper had reappeared, good as knew. All the damage from the fire and poison had vanished and every bloodstain was off the ground.

Shuichi's wounds had been completely healed. Lady Ayaka still looked slightly dazed as she walked over to the fallen feather and picked it up. "I don't… believe it… a Flaring Phoenix Feather…" She gave Shuichi and odd look. "It was from my father. Why would he bother to heal a half-breed like you?"

Shuichi ignored her and stared at the feather in her hands. It seemed to be completely lifeless now. He sat on the ground, pondering the magic of the feather. "I don't understand you. You ignore my words." Lady Ayaka eyed Shuichi warily. "Do you half-breeds have some kind of immunity to insults or something?"

Shuichi blinked his large purple eyes and stared at Lady Ayaka, as if perplexed. "Why are you so ignorant?" He asked simply, staring the female down until her eyes tilted downward. "Deep down, you know what you're saying is wrong." Lady Ayaka stared back at him peculiarly and ran away quickly.

Shuichi looked up at the large blue sky and smiled. Everything seemed to be more peaceful, now that Lady Ayaka was gone. Reiko's body was probably healing itself right now and his father was most likely waiting by her side. And the beautiful flower petals were dancing around him peacefully.

The pink-haired adolescent was still thinking when the sun appeared to reach the middle of the sky and begin its slow decline downwards. For once, his stomach was complaining and ordering him to eat something. For some reason… he just felt empty and alone. But then… someone came into Shuichi's vision. His entire face broke into a genuine, overjoyed smile and his eyes lit up with excitement. He immediately stood up, waving idiotically and shouted: "Yuki!"

And as Shuichi ran as fast as he could towards his favorite demon lord, he thought to himself: _I suppose this is as good as it gets… _

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**Yup… that's the end lol. So if you liked it, review please! Chapter 8: Spunky Saki makes her first appearance! (creepy shivers) Terrifying Tohma emerges from the shadows as well. Michael and Shuichi are reunited and what's this- Hiro's back, too? Yay! Jeez… with all these other beings around, how are Shu and Yuki supposed to get some alone time? But… does Yuki even want alone time? **


	9. Chapter 8: Once the Stars Begin to Fade

To ReadorDie214- Sure, I'd love to read your story! I'll look it up and give ya some pointers. And you'll find out who Crimson is paired with in Chapter Nine. Dum-dum-DUM.

To loveoftheblue- I'm a sophomore in high school and our vocab units are friggin ridiculous. One of our last words was "chaos". Ok, I knew what that word meant since Kingdom Hearts came out like eons ago! There are 20 words in each unit and I usually know what half of them mean already. Who doesn't know what chaos means in the 10th grade?

To clari chan- I'm sorry your compooper failed you. ((lol, compooper is such an awesome word...)) Hope you get a chance to read this chappie!

To cryearthstearsfalltou- YEAH BABY I UPDATED! Hope u like it.

To Kiharu-sama- Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Don't worry about Reiko, she's got someone else to take care of her. ((wink, wink))

**Oh yeah... Frank Sinatra owns "Fly Me to the Moon" and I forgot who owns "The Rage Beat", but it isn't me... **

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**_CHAPTER EIGHT:_**

**_ONCE THE STARS BEGIN TO FADE _**

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Needless to say, the next three days went by rather quickly and smoothly. Shuichi spent every waking moment in the presence of both Ryuichi and Yuki, who were both _VERY_ busy with their demonic duties and such. But, oddly enough, the both of them were always able to make time for our pink-haired hero.

Shuichi was currently sitting by his new favorite tree. It was the beginning of the afternoon. The tree where he found out about the connection between his parents and Reiko. The tree where he found out about his past. The tree where beautiful purple blossoms seem to fall as gently at the wind that made it so.

Shuichi was waiting for Michael, K, and Judy to come back. He had been waiting for almost an hour and was beginning to lose his patience. Then he heard two very loud, silly voices not too far away:

"Michael! I _TOLD_ you not to pull my hair!" A high-pitched voice screeched in fury. Shuichi grinned and jumped down off the tree branch. He could see two small children running towards him and he was able to identify one of them as Michael. The tiny blonde boy threw himself at Shuichi. By this time, the other child was close enough so the two strangers could study each other. "Who are _you_?"

Shuichi ignored the smaller girl; he was too busy hugging Michael. "I missed you so, so, so much!" Michael held onto Shuichi tightly. "Boy, you sure look a lot happier today!"

"I am!" Shuichi grinned widely and spun Michael around, almost knocking off the boy's black sunglasses. "And the best part is, I don't get lost in the mansion any-" He broke off as a wave of small, raw demonic energy hit him.

"_HELLO_?" Michael's companion, a little girl snapped out. "I talked to you. The least you could do is _answer_ me!" Shuichi dropped Michael in shock and turned to study his verbal threat. She looked about Michael's age. She had long purple hair in braided pigtails and bright green eyes.

The girl wore a bright yellow dress with red flowers all over it. She had a gold bracelet on her left wrist. She wore white sandals on her feet. "My name is Saki Ukai. It's a pleasure to meet you…" She held her petite hand out and Shuichi shook it, feeling slightly bewildered. "Well, what's your name?"

"He's _Master_ Shuichi Shindou!" Michael boasted arrogantly before Shuichi could open his mouth. "And he's our babysitter until our parents come back."

"This pink-haired weirdo is in charge of my physical, social, and mental welfare until my parents return?" Saki frowned up at Shuichi. "He can't do anything to help us, he's just a half-demon."

"So are you." Michael shot back and Saki blushed lightly, looking at the ground. "Shuichi, she didn't mean it. She's a brat to everyone and that's why someone always has to watch her because she can never keep her mouth shut."

Shuichi sighed and shook his head. "So… what do you want to do?" _Great… I've got one mortal who completely adores me… I finally met another half-demon and she thinks I'm useless… So much for first impressions… She had me labeled as soon as she knew my race…_

"Nothing that concerns you." Saki stuck her nose in the air.

"Did you parents teach you to treat all 'half-demons' this way?" Shuichi sighed again, sitting on the ground under the tree. "Because it isn't right."

"My father instructed me to treat everyone the same way, because I'll never receive any respect being a polite half-demon." Saki snorted, glaring at Shuichi.

"That's not true." Shuichi protested. Michael, being the reckless kid that he was, decided to climb up the tree, blowing at the purple petals. He was hanging upside down and sticking his tongue out at Saki.

"The only reason _you_ get respect is because your _father_ gets respect." Saki sniffed, turning away from Shuichi. "Michael, let's go. I want to find a more _proper_ babysitter." _I've never heard of a boy with pink hair before! He's bizarre!_

"I'm not leaving Shuichi!" Michael began swinging like a monkey. "And your Mom told you to stay with Shuichi and you _have_ to listen to her."

"You are so annoying!" Saki snapped out, but she jumped in order to reach a tree branch. She began swinging after Michael. "I'm going to get you!" Shuichi looked up at the two children playing, who weren't paying any attention to him.

_Not that it matters…_ Shuichi sighed. _Why is Saki so angry? Her father's perception of reputations is way off… Whether she's a nice half-demon or a mean one… she still won't be liked… Our lives are destined to be full of pain…_

"Hey, Shuichi! I bet you can't catch me!" Michael squealed from the top of the tree. Smirking, Shuichi stood up and looked for him. The pink-haired boy rapidly jumped up all the branches and grabbed the smaller boy around the waist. Saki just stared up at them jadedly.

Shuichi jumped back down to the ground, still holding Michael. "I'm thirsty, Shuichi! I want some water, please!" The blonde pouted and Shuichi rolled his eyes, smiling. "I don't have a cup, so just put it in my mouth. But be careful not to choke me, because then my Dad might shoot you."

_That… wouldn't surprise me…_ Shuichi shuddered anxiously. He closed his eyes, concentrating on a tiny spray of perfectly clean, cold water. After opening his eyes, he held out two fingers and water sprayed out at Michael. The boy greedily opened his mouth and drank until he was full.

"Thanks, Shuichi! You're the best!" Michael gave him a quick hug and then waved at Saki. "Hurry up and get down here, or else you won't get any water!" Saki jumped down without a word and stared at Shuichi tentatively.

"Can I?" The purple-haired girl asked timidly and Shuichi nodded quickly. Saki gratefully smiled at Shuichi and ran over to him to drink some water.

After Saki was done gulping down the water, the three sat under the tree in complete silence. "I didn't know half-demons could do magic. Do you think I can?" Saki turned to Shuichi, breaking the silence.

"Your father never taught you any spells?" Shuichi raised an eyebrow. "He probably never taught you because he doesn't want you fighting."

"But when the other demon children pick on me, I'm defenseless." Saki stood up suddenly. "Shuichi, you are going to teach me to use magic!"

"W-wait a minute!" Shuichi sputtered. "I really don't know _how_ to teach it… I just do it. It's second nature to me. And plus… I don't even know what your demonic element is. So how can I teach you-"

Shuichi broke off, because he felt a great demonic energy nearby. His body shivered in uncontrollable fear and he felt dizzy. "Shuichi? Are you okay?" Michael shook the pink-haired boy's shoulder. Shuichi didn't respond.

**_He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here._** Shuichi reiterated in his head. **_He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here…_**

Two demons were approaching Shuichi and the two children. One of them was Yuki. The other completely terrified Shuichi. Michael ran over to Yuki and said something, but Saki stayed behind and put a hand on Shuichi's pink head.

"He scares me, too." Saki whispered in Shuichi's ear. "I heard his father killed a whole bunch of demon lords back when he was alive." The demon in question made his way closer to Shuichi, ignoring Yuki's odd look.

"Shuichi, I presume?" A pleasant voice asked. Shuichi slowly looked up into intense greenish-blue eyes. The demon had wispy blonde hair. His smile seemed somewhat forged.

_His face… his face…_ It was the face from his nightmares. Shuichi's mouth opened in shock. "You… who are you?" Shuichi's chin quivered in terror.

"Tohma Seguchi." The blonde smiled again, extending a hand. "Do you need help standing? Are you ill?" Something snapped in Shuichi and there was pain all over. He began to shriek wildly and drew his twin daggers before he knew it.

Shuichi was horrified. This was the demon that had killed his mother. "Seguchi… DIE!" Shuichi leapt out at Tohma rapidly, swiping his twin daggers for all he was worth. He managed to rip Tohma's clothing with the first attack and slash his exposed skin with the first.

"Eiri, what's going on?" Tohma turned back to Yuki. "Why is he doing this?" Yuki strode over angrily and made a gesture with his hands. Shuichi's twin daggers were torn out of his hands and implanted in the ground.

Shuichi glared at Yuki with such malice that the blonde's eyes actually looked surprised. "You're on his side, aren't you?" Shuichi growled angrily. "You're defending the beast that killed my mother! You're defending the beast whose face has haunted my sleep for too long!" He didn't need his daggers.

"Shuichi, wait!" Michael cried out in protest. "That wasn't him!" Shuichi ignored the small boy and released a tiny bubble. Yuki's eyes widened in shock and he grabbed the two smaller children, flying away just in time.

Tohma was smacked with Shuichi's cyclone. His battered body dropped to the ground, but he was still conscious. Shuichi raced over to Tohma to finish the job, but oddly enough… his cross was pulsing. Shuichi ceased all movement and put one hand on his cross.

_Just what do you think you're doing, idiot?_ Crimson's annoyed voice said in his head. _Our mother got the job done already. She banished Tohma's father to hell. Shuichi, you're attacking the son of the man who killed Mother. And… judging by **your** morals, that isn't the right thing to do… Not that I don't like to see you all aggressive, you really did make me proud. You made him bleed so much…Oooooooooh... It looks kind of delicious..._

_Okay, I'm getting off topic. The point is Tohma had nothing to do with Mother's death._ Crimson quickly finished. _And he happens to be stronger than his father, so I suggest you make peace with him right away. Because I don't plan on saving you today._

Shuichi's eyes widened in astonishment. He knelt down by Tohma. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea you weren't your father! I'm really sorry for losing control like that… I don't know what got into me!" He smiled weakly and offered a hand to Tohma, who surprisingly took it. The two shook hands and stood up. Tohma's body glowed blue as he healed himself completely.

"You're quite powerful for a half-demon, I see Ryuichi trained you well." Tohma sighed, running a hand through his delicate blonde locks. "Eiri, come back here!" Yuki flew back and placed the kids on the ground.

"Wow… that was scary, but it was _so_ cool!" Michael gushed excitedly, running around the now completely soaked grass. He jumped up and down, splashing Saki with mud.

"You're going to get it!" Saki began skipping all throughout the grass, spraying Michael with mud. Needless to say, they were both completely filthy a couple of seconds later.

"Why do you call him 'Eiri'?" Shuichi turned to Yuki, frowning.

"Because that's his nickname." Tohma smiled sweetly at Shuichi. But there was hidden malice behind his eyes that only Yuki could see. "So, your mother was Lady Seki, I imagine."

_I think I'm already on Tohma's bad side…_ Shuichi gulped and nodded quickly. "Yuki, can I have my daggers back?" He turned quickly to the older demon lord, who complied rather quickly. Shuichi put his daggers back inside the pouches.

Michael was dancing around in the mud and Saki was giggling madly. "BOOOOOKU WAAAAAA… DOMON KASSHU! 'My hand is **_BURNING_** like an **_INFERNO_!** It's telling _ME_ to destroy _YOU_! SHINING… FINGAAAAAAA!'" (1) Michael shouted dramatically, thrusting his left hand high in the air.

"I'm going to stick that 'Shining Finger' up your-" Saki snapped out, but broke off, looking at Tohma. "Stop embarr_ass_ing yourself." She put a certain emphasis on three certain letters, which earned her a look from both Shuichi and Tohma. _Jeez… that Tohma is way too creepy. I hope he goes away soon…_

"Shuichi, let's go play something!" Michael whined. He began to run around swiftly, spreading his arms wide like an airplane. "BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

Shuichi quickly bowed his head. "I'm sorry, but I have to watch them." He smiled softly at Yuki, wondering why the blonde hadn't kissed him yet. As a matter of fact, Yuki hadn't even _spoken_ to him yet. Was Yuki ashamed of Shuichi?

Yuki simply nodded in reply and walked off with Tohma, leaving a hurt Shuichi behind. He slumped to the ground and began to cry.

Even in his hyperactive state, Michael knew he had to calm down in order to comfort his guardian. He scampered over to Shuichi and kissed his cheek gently. "Don't be sad. Tohma makes everyone act different." He shrugged and Saki slowly walked over. "He made _you_ act different, right?"

"Yeah." Shuichi sniffed, remember the angry look in Yuki's eyes when he took the boy's twin daggers away. _He must really like Tohma… He probably doesn't care about me… Why would he? I should have known… He's ashamed that I'm a half-demon… How could I have missed it?_

Shuichi took a deep breath and stopped crying. He would demand an explanation from Yuki later. Right now, he had two children to watch. "I'm kind of tired, so can we sit here for a while?"

"I'm getting tired of staying here! I want to go play somewhere else!" Saki snapped and glared at Shuichi. Michael on the other hand, instantly sat down in Shuichi's lap.

"The trip back here was long… I'm tired, too." Michael yawned. "Sing to me, Shuichi. And sing something happy for me, okay?"

"I'll try, Michael… I'll try." Shuichi closed his eyes tightly and searched his mind for a happy song. Unfortunately, because he wasn't in the best of moods, this wasn't the easiest task. But he finally found a song:

"**Fly me to the moon,**

**And let me play among the stars.**

**Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars.**

**In other words, hold my hand!**

**In other words, darling, kiss me.**

**Fill my heart with song,**

**and let me sing forever more.**

**You are all I long for, all I worship and adore.**

**In other words, please be true!**

**In other words, I love you!"**

By the time Shuichi had finished the song, Saki was sitting down, listening intently to Shuichi's magical voice. "Wow… your voice is amazing. But… you sounded so sad when you sung it. So it doesn't count as a happy song." Saki smirked knowingly. "Sing another song. And this time… it has to be happy. Or else I'll annoy you until you're _really_ depressed!"

"Believe me… she _can_ do that." Michael shook his head in trepidation.

"Umm… okay…" Shuichi sighed, smiling lightly. _I suppose I lose either way. I'm taking orders from kids half my size. But they're right, I should be happy! I'm far away from that lifestyle now! I can be happy!_ "Here goes!"

"**Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni hakisutete**

**hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa SHIGUNARU wa kizuato dake nokoshite-iku**

**madoronda NOIZU ga asu o keshi-saru mae ni**

**yabou ni hibiku kutsuoto o oikakete**

**doko ni mo tomaranai**

**mitasanai Emotion SHIKATO kimete oikose yo**

**furueteru SHAI na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte**

**tadoritsuku basho e I Want New World… "**

Shuichi could feel himself getting into the song. He could feel his eyes sparkling and his smile widening. He was truly happy now. Singing was the one thing that set him free. He stood up and began dancing and singing simultaneously:

"**Muragaru fuan ni tsume o tatereba mishiranu uso ni hajikarete**

**mote-amasu jikan ga sabitsuita machi o warubirezu ni kazatte-iru**

**berubetto no KOIN dake o PAKKU ni tsumete**

**meiro no you na yume no chizu wa iranai**

**saka-maku kodou kara**

**kirakira gin no Passion kakehiki dake no yuuwaku**

**kowaresou na kimi no hitomi ga ikeru DOA tataite**

**sagashi-tsuzukeru… You Just a New World**

**MEIN SUTORIITO ni kizamu semegi-atta namida ga**

**ima mo kikoeru kutsuon o hisumaseru**

**doko ni mo tomaranai**

**mitasanai Emotion SHIKATO kimete oikose yo**

**furueteru SHAI na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte**

**tadoritsuku basho e I Want New World… "**

Shuichi finished, closing his mouth. Michael and Saki stood up and clapped for him. "Yippee!" Michael squealed and danced around. "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy! Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy! I don't think you're happy enough! That's right! I'll teach you to be happy! I'll teach your grandmother to suck eggs! Now boys and girls, let's try it again!" (2)

"That was awesome! You're a good dancer, too." Saki grabbed Michael's hands and they began dancing together. Shuichi burst out laughing at the sight of them boogieing like the two cute fools they were.

"Shuichi, dance with us!" Michael jumped on Shuichi's back gleefully and the pink-haired half-demon complied. Saki jumped right into Shuichi's arms, not wanting to miss out on any fun. Somehow, Shuichi still managed to dance. But it didn't take very long for all three of them to plop on the ground, laughing insanely. They rolled around and laughed, until they all realized they were hungry.

"Shuichi… to the kitchen!" Michael ordered, standing up. Saki shook her messy hair and leapt to her feet. "But first… we need to wash off." Smirking, Shuichi sprayed them with freezing cold water. "AYYAAAAAAA! Uncle does _not_ like cold WATAAAAAA!" (3) Michael said in his horrid Chinese accent.

"'Uncle'? Who's that?" Shuichi looked very confused.

"He watches _too_ much television. What do you expect, he's a _human_!" Saki stuck her tongue out at Michael. "Now that we're clean, let's get some grub!" And with that, the trio set off for the mansion, which was in their sight as they spoke.

The three burst into the mansion noisily and looked around for the quickest way to the kitchen. The large staircase was in directly front of them and someone suddenly appeared in front of them. A tall demon with long brownish-red hair and light, kind brown eyes stood there, looking down at them.

The demon wore a blue, long-sleeved shirt with vertical light brown stripes on it. It had one gray button on the middle of it. He had white pants with silver spots on the waistline. There were four lines on each leg of his pants. The top two were on the thigh of the pants: the first was a dotted line and the second was a regular line. The bottom two were the same designs, but they were just below his knee. He wore silver and blue tennis shoes.

"Lord Nakano, how are you?" Michael squealed, waving like a fool.

_Nakano? I've heard that before… Oh that's right!_ "You're the guy who had an affair with Yuki's fiancé!" Shuichi pointed at the demon.

"What a shameful thing to do." Saki sniffed, sticking her nose in the air. "You probably disgraced your _entire_ family."

Shuichi's purple eyes locked with Lord Nakano's brown ones. All of a sudden, he felt lightheaded and weak. Shuichi's frail body slumped to the floor. He heard squealing voices in his head, much like the voices of the children around him:

"_Oi, Shuichi, I found you!"_

"_You found me already… How come you're so smart, Hiro?"_

"_Neeeeeeeeeeeee, Shu-chan, when is your Mom going to come back? We need our nutrition, na no da!"_

Shuichi held his head as the voices pounded through his skull. They wouldn't stop. The voices were… they sounded so happy. But why were they making him sad? Why were they making him hurt?

"Shuichi?" He heard Saki's loud voice demand. "Are you okay? Shuichi! You did something to him didn't you, Lord Nakano?"

"S-Shuichi?" He heard someone come closer to him. His body was being pulled into a tight, but comforting hug. "Shuichi, it's really you… I can't believe it."

Shuichi slowly opened his eyes. The pain in his head had reduced to the point where it didn't hurt to think. That was good. He looked up at the demon lord, who was currently holding him. "H… Hiro?" He choked out, tears falling from his eyes. _Why am I crying? And… why do I feel so happy inside? I don't get it… I don't understand these feelings… _

"You… you remembered me?" Lord Nakano's worried face broke into a wide smile. "Shuichi!" The two began crying in each other's arms. "Oh, Shuichi! I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you… I'm so sorry I failed you. Please forgive me." _I heard the rumors… but I never would have believed… He's alive! He's back after all this time…_

"How can he forgive you if he can barely remember _what_ you did wrong?" Michael frowned. "Don't you try and cheat him! I don't trust you!"

"If he cheats in marriage, why wouldn't he cheat in friendship?" Saki narrowed her eyes accusingly. "I'm _watching_ you, Lord Nakano." Shuichi began laughing and released himself from Lord Nakano's hold.

"What now?" Shuichi turned to Lord Nakano. "Umm… am I allowed to call you… 'Hiroshi'?" _Hey… I remember that on my own! YAY!_

"Of course. And 'Hiro', if you want..." Hiroshi grinned broadly, ruffling Shuichi's pink locks. "Are you lost?" The group began walking down the hallway below the stairs. For some reason, there weren't any demons around. The hallway had plenty of diverse rooms, but not one demon was inside them. Saki looked in one room, which was full of drawings, portraits, and photographs.

"No… we just need to find the kitchen." Michael gave Hiroshi a look. "Since you're a demon lord, you can get us anywhere."

Hiroshi laughed bitterly. "Not anymore. As Miss Saki clearly stated, I did something shameful. So my eminence isn't exactly sky-high right now." He sighed as they passed the giant ballroom. Hiroshi led them to a huge white and blue kitchen.

The kitchen, to put simply, had only one fridge, a few cupboards, and a counter over the cupboards. There wasn't a stove or sink in sight. Saki and Michael went to sit on the counters near the huge refrigerator. Hiroshi and Shuichi walked over to the fridge. It had a permanent marker attached to it.

Hiroshi took the marker off the fridge and turned to the kids. "What would you like to eat?" He took the cap off the marker, patiently waiting.

"How do we know you're not going to poison us?" Saki snapped out.

"I'll eat first." Shuichi rolled his eyes, grinning up at Hiroshi. "I'll have… strawberry pocky, some ramen, chocolate pudding with rainbow sprinkles…"

Hiroshi wrote down every food Shuichi said on the fridge and the food magically appeared in Shuichi's hands on a plate. "Can that thing give me food from the Human Realm?" Michael frowned at Hiroshi, who nodded, laughing to himself. "Then I want an M&M McFlurry, some mozzarella sticks, curly French Fries, and cinnamon sticks!" Hiroshi rapidly copied down all these foods.

Michael looked as if he was in heaven. "If Mom knew what I was eating…" He grinned mischievously and dug into his fries. "Saki-munch, munch-aren't you-chew, chew-hungry?"

"I'm just fine!" Saki turned her nose up, refusing to look at Hiroshi. At the moment, Shuichi didn't care because he was engrossed in his pudding.

"Wow… this is… amazingly good…" Shuichi's eyes lit up with happiness. "I wonder if I ate this when I was a kid…"

"You did; it was one of your favorite foods." Hiroshi smiled gently. Shuichi turned to him in surprise and licked a sprinkle off his cheek. "We were… best friends, Shuichi…"

"Such a shame _you_ turned out so badly." Saki jumped off the counter. "I'm done being in the presence of shameful demons. I'm ready to go."

"Saki… you're judging Hiroshi without giving him a chance. You did the same to me, remember?" Shuichi sighed, looking up at Michael. It was obvious he wasn't going to be any help; the boy was sucking on his ice cold M&M's. "Michael, what's so great about those M-" He broke off as Michael tossed one in his mouth, almost choking poor Shuichi. He slowly chewed and his eyes widened.

"HIROOOOOOO! I want what he has!" Shuichi completely forgot Saki and turned to Hiroshi, immaturely. Laughing out loud, Hiroshi wrote something down on the fridge and in a nanosecond, Shuichi had his own M&M McFlurry. "This is-slurp, slurp-amazingly-gulp, gulp-good."

"Shuichi, if you're seen with him-" Saki could feel her anger building up in her. "Why are you _ignoring_ me?" She stomped on the ground furiously and the floor quaked with a rumbling sound. A small spark of purple electricity hit Shuichi's cross.

"Saki, I think we just found your element." Shuichi grinned at the dazed girl. _She can control lightning. Interesting…_ Crimson thought in his head.

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**1.** **That was an excerpt from the anime G-Gundam. The main character of that show, Domon Kasshu often said that before defeating his enemies.**

**2. That quote was from the Happy Happy Joy Joy Song shown on Ren and Stimpy. **

**3. Michael was imitating the character: "Uncle" from the show Jackie Chan Adventures, who speaks English with a heavy Chinese accent. **

**Ok... That's it for now. Shout out to Deelz for hooking me up with the outfits, you're the best. Woop Woop! I'm thinking of starting a KH ((kingdom hearts)) fanfic soon. Most likely Riku/Sora. ((It's called Ricochet.))**

**Chapter 9: Saki struggles to hone her newfound skills! Michael tries not to get electrocuted! Hiro reveals the story about his love affair! Shuichi gets captured… will he be okay? Can anyone save him? Will he even survive?**


	10. Chapter 9: O Death! Where is Thy Sting?

**Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... I only got one review for my depressing one-shot where Tohma kills himself. Lol. I guess people hate Tohma more than I thought. Well, for those of you who hate Taki, this is your chapter. Oh and if there are any gramatical or spelling errors in this chapter, don't hesitate to tell me. Because sometimes my eyes skim right over them...**

**Ok... a warning to all. This chapter is NOT for the squeamish. If you don't have the stomach for rape or sadist torture, there are some parts of this chappie, you should NOT read. If you enjoy this kind of sadistic thing... then enjoy...**

To kaede11- You're definitely right about Tohma. Poor Shu isn't safe, especially not in this chappie.

To SilverWolf- Thanks for the review and I hope you like this chappie. It's kinda dark though...

To lemur130- Ok, ok. I won't start my KH fanfic until this is like... finished or something. Lol

To Xunxin- I'm glad you like and love my ficcy. Lol. Dum-da-da-dum! Here it is!

To cryearthstearsfalltou- I'm glad you like lol.

To phoenixtears4ever- Woot Woot! puppy dog eyes kick ass!

To Angel-Hime- lol a very blunt review you left me, that you did

To ReadorDie124- Get some sleep! Your health comes first, ya know!

_**CHAPTER NINE:**_

"_**O DEATH! WHERE IS THY STING?"**_

"I'll get you, Shuichi!" Saki ran at the half-demon mentioned, sending out purple lightning bolts left and right. After finding out her demonic element, Saki was more than happy to train against both Hiroshi and Shuichi. Michael had gleefully agreed to be the "referee", even though Saki never listened to a word he said. The group was back outside, near Shuichi's favorite tree.

Then sun had almost disappeared completely. Saki had refused to stop training her mind and body until she could release a lightning bolt at will. She learned rather quickly and was now obsessed with perfecting her new skill.

"Saki runs after our favorite MALE half-demon, Shuichi! Shuichi dodges Saki's scary lightning bolts, using his really quick legs!" Michael held his clenched hand close to his mouth, as if it was a microphone. "Lord Nakano uses a gust of wind to deflect Saki's other lightning bolts! Oh no! What _WILL_ Saki do?"

"Shut it, you annoying twit!" Saki snapped, sending a weak sparkle Michael's way. Michael squealed and dodged it.

"She can control the intensity of her magic." Hiroshi commented, turning to Shuichi. "We taught her well."

"Yes, we did!" Shuichi grinned up at Hiroshi. Even though they had only spent a few hours together, Shuichi felt as if he had known Hiroshi forever. "Saki, you need to take a break. You've been fighting us nonstop."

"But I missed out on _SIX_ years of training!" Saki scowled. "Most demons begin training from the time they can blink!"

"True… I wonder why your father never trained you." Hiroshi frowned. "All beings with demon blood should be taught how to protect themselves. Do you have any idea why-" _Her father is too old and too old-fashioned… Lord Tetsuya is about… three thousand years old? And his human wife, Lady Noriko isn't even thirty years old yet… There's something wrong with that... If that's not true love, then what is?_

"I don't know. He's always busy and I barely see him. I spend more time with Michael's father than I do with mine. And my mother is human, so she can hardly use magic. So I never learned." Saki shrugged, looking slightly annoyed. "Can we stop asking questions about me? What about you?"

"What about me?" Hiroshi repeated.

"Why did you do such a horrid thing?" Saki glowered at Hiroshi. "Demon lords are supposed to be important members of society and you just proved how crooked they can be. You made demon lords seem like those human politicians."

"Saki, you have a lot to learn about demon society. You're only six years old." Hiroshi said flatly. "You make too many inaccurate assumptions about issues that don't even concern you."

"But, Hiro… you didn't answer her question." Shuichi protested. _Not that I'm complaining. If it weren't for Hiro, I wouldn't be with Yuki._

"Because… Ayaka knew that Yuki detested her and it broke her heart. She was deeply saddened, because she was going to have to spend the rest of her life with a man that didn't care about her." Hiroshi sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I met her at my father's funeral and we became friends. One day, in my territory some radical tree demons were causing pandemonium.

"Ayaka literally saved my neck. She convinced her father to send some phoenix soldiers to help me. I traveled to her father's manor to personally thank him and found out that she was still there. When I went to see her, she was crying hysterically. She told me that she was going to be unloved for the rest of her life.

"Ayaka told me that Yuki hated her. At first, she thought that his feelings would change over time, just like most arranged marriages did. But… somehow she knew it would never work out. She told me that they had nothing in common and he was constantly insulting her.

"I felt horrible for her and I wanted to comfort her somehow. So I brought her back to my territory and told her she could stay until she felt better. Then rumors started spreading about us and before I knew it, I was charged with adultery and I was locked in a cell for an entire night." Hiroshi finished, sighing.

"But… Ayaka's baby is yours. That means you did commit adultery." Shuichi pointed out, frowning somewhat. "That's why Lord Lucifer was so angry a while ago. Because he was the first one to find out."

"How can you throw out his name like it's nothing?" Saki scowled at Shuichi. "You're so disrespectful. He's the devil, Shuichi! You spoke his name as if you were pals or something."

"How is saying his name disrespectful?" Shuichi glared at Saki. "Or did your father tell you that saying a demon lord's name was disrespectful? Just because you're a half-demon?" Saki blushed and Shuichi knew that he was right. "Well, you just forget what he said! Don't let him control your life, because he can never understand it!"

"Saki." An angry voice said from above them. They all looked up. A tall demon lord with short, thick white hair and dark green eyes floated down to them. He was wearing a simple dark blue tunic with silver outlining and an odd golden emblem on the back of it. He also had plain tan-colored sandals.

"Lord Tetsuya!" Hiroshi gasped out loud, turning to Shuichi, trying to warn the younger boy.

"So… you're the one who filled Saki's head with lies!" Shuichi shouted angrily. "I can't believe you would do that to your own daughter! How is she ever supposed to make it in the real world if you-"

"If you think you can do a better job, that's fine with me." Lord Tetsuya ran a hand through his white mane. "I have no time for such foolishness. You may keep her for as long as you'd like. When she has bored you enough, return her to Noriko."

"W-what?" Saki turned to her father in shock. "What are you saying, Father?" _Why is he so… angry? What did I do? Why… why doesn't he love me?_

"This matter does not concern you." Lord Tetsuya sniffed and turned around. "You have shamed me by your disobedience. How dare you show yourself to me in the presence of a sinner? What's worse… you let _him_ teach you the very thing I forbade you to learn. You are _not_ my child." Saki's green eyes filled with tears and her small frame slumped to the ground. Michael scampered over to her.

The small blonde put his arms around Saki and held her close, scowling up at Lord Tetsuya. "Farewell, Master Shuichi. And be careful whom you associate with. Your reputation has already been soiled because of your 'situation' with Lord Yuki." And with that, the ancient demon lord vanished, leaving them all.

"He… he left me…" Saki began wailing. "And it's all your fault!"

"Saki, no!" Shuichi ran over to the purple-haired girl. "It's no one's fault but his! What he did was wrong and you know it! Don't believe his lies! Don't see things the way he wants you to see them! Don't let him cloud your vision… You are you, Saki. And he cannot change that.

"You've got to grow up now… You learned how to use your demonic element today and you're on your way to becoming a warrior. You must fight, Saki!" Shuichi put his hands on Saki's shoulders. "For all of us. For us half-demons."

Saki nodded her head and wiped her eyes furiously. "I'm not gonna cry anymore! If Father hates me, so be it! I can't change his feelings… And I'll be the strongest half-demon in the world! I won't let him stop me!" Saki stood up firmly, pulling Michael to his feet as well. "And you're going to help me, Michael."

"I will!" Michael nodded his head seriously. "Together… we're going to show the world what we can do. Not as enemies… but as allies!" Michael and Saki looked up at Hiroshi and Shuichi. An implicit look was in all their eyes.

"That's all very wonderful, but it's time for both of you to take a bath." A kind voice said from behind him. Everyone whirled around. It was Judy and of course, she had a cigarette in one hand. "Shuichi, love, thank you for taking care of them. Noriko _pleasantly_ informed me that Saki is in my care for now."

"MO-OM!" Michael whined pitifully, walking towards her. "You ruined the moment!" Judy shook her head at him and began walking away. Saki and Michael ran after her, but not before shouting their goodbyes.

"Those kids…" Hiroshi shook his head, smiling. "They're going to take over the world one day." Shuichi ran back to his tree and jumped up on one of the branches. The stars twinkled down on him and the moon shone brilliantly, illuminating the dark sky. "Shuichi, I've got to go. I'm going to go visit Ayaka in her cell." Hiroshi smiled softly and began walking towards the mansion.

"Bye Hiro!" Shuichi shouted out, waving wildly at the demon lord's back. He sat back against the tree, staring up dreamily at the night sky. He suddenly felt sleepy and decided that he was only going to close his eyes for a little while…

Shuichi could feel something on his stomach. He shivered slightly. "Finally. It took the scum long enough to move." He heard a voice speak.

"That spell you used was too powerful, idiot. We didn't plan to rape a dead body." A harsh voice snapped out. Shuichi's eyes flew open. He knew that voice, even in his nightmares.

"T-Taki?" Shuichi looked around him. He was not on a tree branch anymore. He could see Taki and Manchu standing in front of him, their cruel faces leering at him.

Shuichi was chained by his wrists and ankles to a stonewall. He was wearing nothing but his cross and tiny, tight black shorts that weren't his. He felt completely exhausted, as if all of his energy had been drained right out of him.

Cold stonewalls completely surrounded Shuichi. The room was completely bare, except for a bookcase across the room and a dimly lit chandelier above him. Shuichi shivered again and glanced at his aggressors.

"Why?" Tears fell from miserable lavender eyes. The boy was answered with a smack across the face. Shuichi stared down at the floor, refusing to look up. His body was already aching. Why… why was this happening to him?

"I remember… I gave you most of these scars." Taki leaned in close to Shuichi and licked his bruised cheek. He began touching Shuichi everywhere, his neck, his chest, his arms, his stomach, his back, his thighs, his calves, and even his bound ankles. Manchu stood and watched Taki with an amused look on his face.

Shuichi's mind screamed in protest… but the demon's touch was so gentle and tender. He felt sick and used. A feeling he hadn't had in a long time. "Shuichi… I should be the last one to have you." Taki hugged the boy close to him. "Ever since that first day I saw you, sitting, waiting for me with your legs open, your innocent eyes staring up at me… I knew you were mine. You will _always_ be mine. I will _not_ let Yuki have you!" And with that, Taki ripped off Shuichi's shorts, leaving the smaller male completely naked.

"Shuichi… you're going to enjoy this…" Taki bit down hard on Shuichi's neck, making the boy cry out. He began licking and sucking at the wound. "Your blood… It's addictive. So sweet…"

"I thought Reiko was the vampire." Shuichi managed to spit out, pulling away from Taki. That earned him three kicks to the stomach from Manchu. "When your mother finds you did this…" He glared up at the raven-haired teenager.

_I can't believe this… Manchu is two years younger than me… He's my younger brother… How pathetic can I get? I'm going to be raped by my younger brother… This is ridiculous…_ Shuichi closed his eyes and concentrated on the spit that Taki left on his neck. _If I can just… Concentrate enough…_

"Don't even try it." Taki kissed the top of Shuichi's head. "Fruitless effort." Shuichi clenched his eyes even tighter and tried to morph the spit on his neck. He felt the four chains binding him rattling rapidly. His eyes flew open and he saw the swirling blue vapor winding up and around each link in the chain.

Finally, the blue energy reached his two wrists and ankles. The vapor cracked and sizzled, electrocuting Shuichi. He screamed in pain as the blue vapor surrounded him. It was everywhere and the pain was everywhere. Shuichi was burning, he was burning…

"Your demonic element causes the element in the chains to react." Manchu uttered coldly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Water conducts electricity. Think twice before you try to attack Taki, scum."

"Shu-chan… I'm sorry you had to go through that." Taki kissed Shuichi left wrists, which was still stinging from the electric shock. "I want to make this as painless as possible for you. I'm going to reunite you with your mother. You'll reign in Hell with her forever, Shu-chan. I'm going to make you happy."

**Ok... For those of you who are squeamish... stop here... Skim on down...**

* * *

Taki kissed Shuichi right on the mouth, his tongue thrusting in and out of Shuichi's mouth. One hand began squeezing Shuichi's behind forcefully and the other hand went around Shuichi's erection.

Manchu wrinkled his nose in disgust and turned away. "More for me then. But… after I'm done, you can torture him until he dies." Taki broke the kiss, kneeing Shuichi in the stomach. Shuichi coughed up blood and stared at in shock.

Taki forcefully and mercilessly took Shuichi, plunging into him as roughly as possible, using his full demon strength. There was no point in crying anymore. Shuichi's blood sadistically covered the floor and the wall near him. His blood was everywhere and he felt empty inside.

"This is all you're good for." Taki laughed, still driving himself inside Shuichi. By this time, the force from Taki's movements had already broken the chains. Shuichi had been forced in between the cold, hard wall and Taki.

_He's not going to stop…_ Shuichi thought faintly. _I really am going to die… Yuki… _He felt his mind drifting away, to a place where there was no pain. It couldn't get any worse, right? Wrong.

With a might grunt, Taki released his seed inside Shuichi and ripped himself out of Shuichi, causing him even more pain. "I'm done. Go ahead." Taki laughed as Shuichi's broken body plopped to the ground.

"Did you leave any blood for me to spill?" Manchu grinned viciously and that same sword appeared in his hands. Manchu drew his sword and began wildly slashing everywhere, but Taki wouldn't let him inflict any wounds on Shuichi's head. Manchu glared at Taki, waiting for an explanation.

"His beautiful head… will stay unharmed." Taki said dreamily, with lust in his eyes. "No harm will come to that part of his body." Manchu looked annoyed, but continued slashing away ruthlessly at the rest of Shuichi's body. Everywhere. No spot below Shuichi's neck was left unscathed.

Manchu finally re-sheathed his bloody sword calmly. "Shall we leave? He doesn't have that much time left." Manchu turned to Taki, expectantly.

"No…I want to watch the final breath leave his body…" Taki actually sat down right in front of Shuichi's body and gazed at him longingly. "I want… I want to take him again one last time."

"Are you insane?" Manchu snapped out. "We both released enough demonic energy. Someone's probably looking for us right now. I'm leaving." And with that, Manchu vanished, leaving the rapist with the raped.

**Alright... Slight intermission... Rape scene is FINITO!**

* * *

_C-Cr…_ Shuichi could barely think. He couldn't move, that was for sure. But maybe Crimson could save him now. Taki was obviously in another world.

"_Hey, kiddo how's it-"_ Crimson's thoughts broke off. _"What the hell happened to you? Who the hell did this to you? Shuichi? Shuichi!"_

_Help…_ Shuichi answered weakly.

"_Shuichi… I can't help you unless you take off the cross."_ Crimson actually sounded sad. _"God, Shuichi… don't die on me…"_

_Can't…move…_ Shuichi coughed up more blood, his body shaking.

"_Yes, you can, Shuichi. You have to. If you don't take the cross off, you'll die. You'll never see Ryuichi or Michael or Yuki again." _Crimson scowled in Shuichi's head. "Shuichi, you're the strongest demon I know. You can do this."

_Half…_ Shuichi corrected feebly.

"_You're a full-blooded demon to me, Shuichi. You always have been and you always will be. You're stronger than most demons I've killed. You have more heart than they do. You can do this!" _Crimson shouted encouragingly.

Shuichi felt like smiling. His left hand twitched slightly. Sure, it hurt to move it and the bleeding hadn't stopped yet. But his hand could still move. Keeping his whole hand on the ground, he gradually began moving it upwards, keeping both his eyes on Taki. He hadn't noticed a thing.

Shuichi's arm was almost there. He was so close… But then Taki glared down at him. "What are you doing, slut?" Taki stood up menacingly.

"_NOW!"_ Crimson shrieked and Shuichi lifted up his head and tore the cross off with one painful movement. Before Taki could do anything, Shuichi was gone. In his place stood another angry half-demon.

Crimson stood there glaring ominously at Taki. "Do you like my new outfit?" Crimson smiled sadistically. "I even painted my nails black for the occasion." ((Delia roks my world!)) Crimson was wearing a light silver shirt with a long black cross on it. The cross had silver buttons going from the neck of the shirt to the bottom. The sleeves were dark gray, almost black.

Crimson's belt was bright neon blue with silvery gray buckles. He wore tight black pants and short black boots with whitish silver spikes on the bottom and silver buckles on the top.

"H-how?" Taki shivered in fear. He knew how dangerous Crimson was.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy killing you. I've wanted to for a long time now." Crimson flexed his claws, wiggling his black, shiny nails. He began laughing insanely and Taki slowly began backing away.

**This is a sadistic, bloody, torture scene. Don't like it, skip it.**

* * *

Crimson dove forward and began slicing at Taki's clothing. In a matter of seconds, all of it was gone. Taki wore only his shoes and a couple new gashes from Crimson's nails. "It's going to get much worse, darling, much worse." Crimson shook his head. He grabbed onto the skin behind Taki's left ear, digging his nails deep into it.

Crimson then grasped onto Taki's ear and ripped it off, throwing it by on of the chains that had once bounded Shuichi. Taki screamed in sheer shock and actually looked terrified. Crimson licked his lips in anticipation.

"Your blood… your tarnished blood will join Shuichi's." Crimson began slashing away at Taki's exposed chest, blood flying everywhere. Taki screamed and screamed as both his nipples joined his ear, but Crimson completely ignored it.

"But you are starting to annoy me…" Crimson pried Taki's mouth open with his claws, drawing even more blood. "Maybe I should rip your tongue out. It can join your ear and nipples over there. Or maybe you'd like me to snatch your other ear instead. I'll let you pick."

Taki began trembling uncontrollably. "No amount of magic can save you now. Because as far as I know, we're both stuck in here. If you want to heal yourself, that's fine." Crimson said thoughtfully. "As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind starting over. Would you? Once again, this is your choice here."

Taki stayed silent. "I suppose you aren't going to scream anymore…" Crimson shrugged and released his claws from Taki's mouth. He began coughing up blood, breathing haggardly. "Maybe I should take off your fingers next."

"P-please… just kill me…" Taki begged weakly, falling to his knees. Crimson laughed in his face, holding his stomach as he hooted.

"Your voice is started to annoy me. I think your tongue is going next." Crimson nodded matter-of-factly and plunged three claws inside Taki's mouth. With a might rip, Crimson held a pink tongue in his hand. Taki's hands covered his mouth in shock and terror. He tossed it over by Taki's other parts.

"Oh damn! I should've made you eat your ear before I did that…" Crimson sighed, shaking his head. "Can you eat without a tongue?" Taki was crying now, blood pouring from his mouth. "Let's find out later, shall we? We have fingers to remove. I suppose I'll leave your toes alone. If you're not dead by then, I think I might have pluck them off."

Crimson kicked Taki in the stomach and he fell right on his back. "Maybe… I'll mummify you. Oooooooh. Should I take your eyes out next? Or your fingers? Decisions, decisions." Crimson pulled Taki to his feet by his hair and punched him across the face. He then put three claws on Taki's top eyelid and one on the bottom one and jerked.

With a sick popping sound, Taki's left wet eyeball was rolling around in Crimson's hand. He squished it and poured the remains down Taki's throat. "Tasty, right?" Crimson laughed. "I should finish slashing the rest of your body…" So he did. Crimson let loose his claws on Taki's face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands ((taking off three fingers accidentally)), stomach, back, thighs, calves, knees, and shins, but he left Taki's feet alone.

"Time to relieve you of your manhood. Because as far as I'm concerned, you don't deserve to have it." Crimson slapped Taki's cheek. "Hey! Stay awake!" He gripped one hand around Taki's manhood and dug his claws into it. Taki's one eye flashed open in shock.

With one swift movement and a disgusting ripping sound, Crimson now held a penis in his hand. He tossed it over by Taki's other body parts. "Now let's see… Since you're a full-blooded demon, it's going to be harder to kill you. I suppose I should finish you off with some magic." Crimson searched his mind for the right spell. "Ah! Oh… this one is the grand finale! You'll love it!"

**Well, I think no matter how squeamish you are, you'd love to read Taki die. Here it is!**

* * *

Crimson threw Taki's body against the wall. He held his hands out in front of him and gathered all of Taki's blood into a large bubble. The blood bubble made a gulping sound and engulfed Taki's body, or what was left of it. Every piece of Taki that Crimson ripped off magically floated in the air and reattached themselves to Taki's body.

"Extract." Crimson commanded and the blood glowed an eerie blue.

Taki heard an odd sound coming from his body and then he saw it. Bones, bones… exiting his body! All two-hundred and six bones were floating around in the blood bubble. The pain Taki felt was beyond belief. The only reason he wasn't dead yet was because he happened to be a somewhat strong demon.

"Rupture." Crimson ordered and every single bone shattered into pieces. "Insert." He said and every piece of shattered bone re-entered Taki's body. His eyes widened in shock and pain. He choked on his own blood and then died right there.

"Nice and painful, I suppose." Crimson shook his head and snapped his fingers. The bubble of blood burst into flame and vanished completely. Taki's body fell to the ground among the chain lifelessly.

"I should get going…" Crimson grabbed onto his cross and ran over to the bookcase. He could sense a demon presence nearing his area. "How does this thing work…" He looked at every book until he saw a slightly glowing red one. Crimson tore the book out and the bookcase swung open, revealing a giant hole in the wall. He dashed through, not bothering to close it.

Crimson raced through the hole, finding himself in a huge library full of stairs, bookcases, couches, tables, and of course, piles of books. Crimson ran to the nearest couch, pounced on it, and flung his cross over his head.

In a flash of light, Shuichi's slightly healed, naked body was lying on the couch. He lifted his head slowly, looking around him, dazed. Everywhere still hurt. But someone was coming… Shuichi squinted to see the body coming into his vision. The body was male, Shuichi was sure of it. But his vision was so dimmed and he was so dizzy and his head was pounding…

"Who?" Shuichi croaked out. _If I can speak… I can live! Crimson was right!_ He cracked a weak smile. The male knelt down by him and held out two hands over Shuichi's back. Shuichi winced, expecting pain. But instead, a soft, shimmering white covering was on his back. It was a silky white sheet that now covered Shuichi.

The male gently turned Shuichi over and wrapped the sheet around him, as if it was a blanket. He lifted Shuichi up in his arms and held him close. "Shuichi… I'm sorry…" The male spoke and Shuichi lifted his head lightly, looking up into pale golden eyes tinted with distress and torment. _Yuki… You came…_

**Ok... That chapter was painful to write. But of course... Taki got what he deserved. Damn Straight! Please review! Review feed my literary soul! ((Not chocolate...))**


	11. Chapter 10: Oh, How Wrong We Were To Thi...

**I'm so sorry! I haven't updated in like eons and I apologize! But between my birthday ((April 21st)), my Sweet Sixteen, ((April 23rd)), the funeral ((April 24th)), Mother's Day, my Grandma getting sick, my Great-grandma getting sick, and me being punished for about two weeks... ((and I still haven't gotten my iPod back... being iPodless really sucks...)) I haven't had much time to do ANYTHING but schoolworkd. Isn't that ridiculous? **

**Oh and I don't own the title. It's a lyric from "Our Lady of Sorrows" by MCR. Once again, I love Gerard! And Joey of Slipknot for that matter... But who really cares? We only care about Yuki and Shuichi!**

**Rae Anderson- I'm sorry, I accidentally skipped over you in my last chapter. I guess I'm stupid like that. Anyway, thank you very very very much for your enthusiastic review!**

**Kiharu-sama- "Hell hath no fury like a fourteen-year-old freshman." Boy do I believe that! There's this freshman chick in my gym class… She is a frigging psycho. We were playing soccer and she jumps in my face, screaming and kicking at me. I have to say… I was positively horrified at first. Now… we just laugh together at everyone else… And wow I went off track… ANYHOO… thanks for the review**

**Shirubaa Kitsune- It was painful, wasn't it? Oooooooooooh. I'm so sick, aren't I? But I could never do that in real life. I'm actually quite the pacifist, ironically enough… P.s. I love your "evil" laugh. **

**Dhampir- Oh you sadistic reviewer you! Thanks for the compliment.**

**Xunxin- I'm glad you thought it was gruesome and cool. I tried to make it that way, so I'm glad you spotted that! And yes, Shuichi and Yuki were made for each other. Gravitation!**

**lemur130- I'm absolutely delighted that you liked my sadist, non-squeamish chapter**

**ali- Yeah, whenever I read my chapters over, I always laugh at the cyclone part…**

**cutelilpuppieyez- I know! OMG that tongue twister is really hard! Oh and thanks for the review!**

**cryearthstearsfalltou- Wooooooooooooooooooooooooow… Was my chapter really _that_ good? That's like… one of the best compliments I've ever gotten… And by the way, what _is_ your job?**

**GravityNeko- Umm… I don't know what "badica" means… ((I know, I'm an airhead, forgive me…)) but thanks for the review!**

**JasLine- haha hoho… I updated… lol **

**Aacire- Nooooooooooooooooooo. No sympathy for Taki allowed here! Not even if it's small enough to see under a microscope. ((Lol)) Glad you liked it!**

**Oh yes and if you find any errors, once again, correct meeeeeeeeeeeee!**

* * *

_**CHAPTER TEN:**_

"_**OH, HOW WRONG WE WERE TO THINK...**_

_**THAT IMMORTALITY NEVER MEANT DYING…"**_

_The sky was bright and free of any clouds. The sunlight shone down on a grassy hill, occupied by three beings, a new wooden bench, and a cherry blossom tree. The first being was an older male, tall with long black hair and bright purple eyes. The second was a woman with long pink hair and dark blue eyes. The third being was male toddler with short pink hair and bright purple eyes. _

_The woman was standing gracefully in front of the bench with a calm expression on her face. The cherry blossom tree was swaying with the wind, bringing about pink flowers that matched the woman's hair. The male was sitting on the bench, with an agitated look on his face. The boy was seated on the bench next to the older male eating an ice cream and while the elder's purple eyes were dark with uncertainty, the boy's purple eyes were bright with joy._

"_Momma, sing!" The boy cried out, clapping his hands excitedly. "Make Daddy happy and sing!"_ _He's been so sad… I dunno why…_

"_Shall I? What do you think, Sakuya?" The woman ran over to the older male and grasped his hands. "Sakuya? What's wrong? This is the last time we can be together for a long time… Shouldn't you be happy?"_

"_How can I be happy? I'm losing the love of my life and my son…" Sakuya refused to meet the woman's eyes. "Seki… I don't Reiko and I can survive without you. What if she-"_ _I detest that damned phoenix Nuri… Forcing Reiko like this…_

"_Don't say that!" Seki moved away from Sakuya, tears spilling from her eyes. "This was supposed to be-"_ _I don't want this either… Sakuya… I can't…_

"_Momma… sing!" The boy frowned up at his mother, Seki._

"_I will. I'll sing for you, Shuichi. Then we're going to go to that new house in Kyoto. Do you remember it?" Seki smiled, wiping away her tears. _

"_Yeah, it's big!" Shuichi's eyes widened with enthusiasm. "I get two houses! I'm lucky!" Seki shook her head sadly, but her son didn't realize it._

_Seki took a deep breath and began singing:_

"What a thrill

With Darkness and silence through the night

What a thrill

I'm searching and I'll melt into you

What a fear in my heart

But you're so supreme!

I give my life

Not for honor, but for you (snake eater)

In my time there'll be no one else

Crime, it's the way I fly to you (snake eater)

I'm still in a dream of the snake eater

Someday you go through the rain,

Someday you feed on a tree frog,

It's ordeal, the trial to survive

For the day we see new light

I give my life

Not for honor, but for you (snake eater)

In my time there'll be no one else

Crime, it's the way I fly to you (snake eater)

I'm still in a dream of the snake eater…"

_As soon as Seki finished, both father and son began applauding wildly. Shuichi stood up on the bench and started jumping. He dropped his ice cream, but Sakuya snatched it right out of the air. _

"_I suppose this is mine now!" Sakuya wiggled his eyebrows teasingly. Shuichi pouted adorably and reached for it, but Sakuya took a huge big lick. Shuichi's eyes widened and then filled with tears. _

"_Sakuya! Give that ice cream back to your son!" Seki hit Sakuya on the_ _head._ _I swear… he's so immature at times… Oh now Shuichi's crying…_

"_Couldn't help it." Sakuya shrugged, handing the ice cream back to his son. He stood up and turned around. "We'd better get going. Come on, Shuichi." Sakuya lifted a finger and his son began floating in the air. Shuichi giggled and clumsily flew to his father's shoulders. _

_Seki shook her head again and started walking down the hill. Sakuya soared down the hill, with Shuichi clinging to his shoulders. "YIPPEE!" Shuichi squealed happily, waving at his mother, who was far behind. "Faster, faster! Go, go, go!" All was well in Shuichi's world, for the moment. The little things that may seem insignificant to an adult may be the most important things in a child's life. _

* * *

Demon lords did not feel much emotion, especially this one. It was unthinkable to have such feelings coursing through him. Guilt, fear, compassion, and empathy… but most of all, _guilt_. Guilt that because of his negligence, a pink-haired half-demon was now deep in a coma. 

Yuki sat right next to Shuichi's still body in a chair. Shuichi was in a big white bed with two white pillows. The boy was wearing nothing but a white robe and white socks on his feet. Yuki buried his face in his hands. For two whole weeks, the boy hadn't wiggled a toe. Why… why did happen to him?

"Eiri, Eiri." A soft voice crooned in his ear. It was Tohma. Yuki rolled his eyes, already knowing _why_ the pest was back. "You cannot stay here forever. As a demon lord, there are some things you must execute. Do not give up your title for-"

"Tohma. Shut. Up." Yuki said dangerously. "I have no intention of leaving. My leaving him put him here in the first place. _You_ always wanted to be a demon lord. Why don't _you_ take over for now?"

"Eiri… This is unhealthy. Your father is worried about you." Tohma sighed, realizing that Yuki really wasn't leaving. "Have you seen Ryuichi or Tatsuha?"

"Ryuichi came earlier this morning with Nakano. Tatsuha is still searching along with other demons for _Taki_." Yuki spat out the rapist's name. "I'd love to mutilate his body and make him drown in his own blood…" ((Ironic, no?)) "Now if you're done, leave me."

"Why?" Tohma scowled. "The boy lost too much blood. He's been lifeless for two weeks. Is there _any_ chance of a full recovery?"

"The last time I checked, you were a demon lord, not a physician." Yuki narrowed his eyes at Tohma. There was something wrong here… It almost seemed as if… Tohma expected Shuichi to die. Did Tohma have something to do with this? Yuki would ask a question that _he_ didn't even know the answer to. "Tohma, where was Shuichi when Taki took him?"

"Sleeping in a tree." Tohma answered automatically. Yuki had him by the throat in a nanosecond. "E-Eiri? What is the meaning of this?"

"You _bastard_. Tell me what you know… right now!" Yuki squeezed tighter. "You set this whole thing up, didn't you?"

"Now, now, Eiri. While you were discussing the fate of Ayaka's baby with Nakano, I was taking a walk. I happened to see Shuichi sleeping in a tree, all by himself. I was concerned for him. But I didn't want to play babysitter, especially to a half-breed. So then I thought… who _better_ to alarm than his own brother?" Tohma smiled cunningly. "I told Manchu about his brother's state. And Taki just happened to be walking by as I told Manchu this bit of news."

"Tohma…" Yuki flexed his claws in anger. "You're no better than Kitzawa." Tohma's eyes widened in shock. "How could you put him through this? The very thing that I-" Yuki broke off as his emotions finally overtook him. He stood up, stalking to the other side of room.

"Eiri, I'm sorry. But I had to eliminate him. The boy is a threat to your reputation. There are _rumors_ going around, Eiri." Tohma ran over to Yuki, but Yuki's eyes flashed red and that stopped Tohma right in his tracks. "Eiri?"

"Leave." Yuki could feel his anger flowing through him, along with his impulse to kill Tohma. Tohma took one last look at him and slowly left the room, closing the door behind him. Once Tohma was gone, Yuki fell to the floor wearily. He pounded on the floor with his hands.

_How could I let this happen?_ Yuki willed the threatening tears in his eyes to go away. _Shuichi… I never wanted…_ The door swung open widely, revealing Ryuichi, Tatsuha, and Lord Sakuya.

"It was To-" But Yuki never had a chance to finish.

"Aniki! We've got problems!" Tatsuha interrupted breathlessly. "First of all, Father had another tantrum because you've been shirking on your duties. But there weren't as _many_ casualties as I thought there would be…"

"Reiko found Taki's body." Ryuichi scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "She was found sucking his blood. She's been detained for murdering Taki."

"How could _she_ do it?" Yuki narrowed his amber eyes. "The phoenix was still recovering from her suicide attempt. How could she have-"

"The point is… Taki is dead. Lord Nakano is examining him as we speak." Lord Sakuya frowned. "But everyone knows it… Taki did not die of natural causes. I do not believe that Reiko did this." Ryuichi stared at Shuichi's sleeping body.

Tatsuha ran over to Shuichi's body. He brushed the boy's pink hair out of his face. "How ya doing, little fella?" He smiled softly, patting the boy's head. "We found the bastard that did this to you. Except you can't avenge yourself, because Reiko supposedly already did. And unfortunately, if she's found guilty… She'll be locked away forever. Sucks, doesn't it?"

Ryuichi sighed, running his fingers through his hair. Even though he had only seen Taki's dead body, he already knew how the demon died. He could recognize that intricate spell _anywhere_. After all, it was he who had taught it to Crimson. Now Reiko was going to be imprisoned for a crime she did not commit.

"R-Rei…" Shuichi mumbled slightly, his left hand twitching. Slowly, his hand crept up to his cross and tugged. A bright red light filled the entire room, temporarily blinding everyone. When the light was gone, Shuichi was standing up on his bed, with a very confused look on his face.

Shuichi stared down at everyone, still very confused. Finally, his eyes settled on Lord Sakuya. "You… you took my ice cream!" He pointed an accusatory finger at the demon lord. And to everyone's surprise, Lord Sakuya's purple eyes filled with tears.

"He remembered… He remembered the last day we were a family…" Lord Sakuya sat down on the bed, tears streaming down his face. Shuichi sat down next to his father and put his pink head on his father's shoulder. "Shuichi… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" Lord Sakuya held his son close to him, his tears falling on the boy's head. Ryuichi, Tatsuha, and Yuki could only stare at this sight.

"Why… why can't you act like him?" Shuichi muttered to himself. "The Father in my dream… he cared. He loved me."

"Shuichi." Lord Sakuya finally got a hold on himself. He gently pushed his son away from him. "I will be that father that you remembered." He stood up. "For starters, I am going to start spending more time with you. I am going to get to know you… and Crimson as well."

"Really?" Shuichi stood up excitedly, grabbing his father's hands. Lord Sakuya nodded in reply and Shuichi let out a whoop of joy. _I'm so happy! But… I'm also kind of tired… I wonder why I woke up so suddenly… Yuki's here!_

"Little critter finally woke up." Tatsuha grinned. "And noticed that he and Daddy aren't the only demons in the room."

"YUKI!" Shuichi squealed, throwing himself at Yuki. And instead of smashing Shuichi's head on the floor, Yuki actually caught him. "I didn't even realize how much I missed you until I woke up! And you're here! You didn't leave me! And… wow I'm hungry."

Yuki patted the boy's head absently. "What should we do about Reiko?" Yuki turned to Ryuichi. He finally got tired of Shuichi's clinging, so he threw the boy to Ryuichi, who expertly caught the half-demon.

"Ryuichi!" Shuichi was now clinging to Ryuichi, who was obviously used to it. "I'm so glad! I'm alive again! I'm alive! And… I'm _still_ hungry!"

"Nakano should be just about finished with the examination of Taki's body. I'm going to go talk to him to prepare Reiko's defense. Sakuya? You should go talk to Reiko. She's probably feeling abandoned right about now. She needs some support, someone who's on her side.

"Tatsuha… go back to Lord Lucifer and inform him that he may end his tantrum because his son will be working in a short amount of time. Shuichi… I believe you _should_ eat something. I'll obtain a suitable guardian to accompany you to the kitchen." Ryuichi broke off, sensing Yuki's unease.

"I will take him." Yuki said simply. Shuichi finally let go of Ryuichi.

"_You_ have plenty of duties to make up. You're in no position to play babysitter." Ryuichi narrowed his eyes at Yuki. "Your Father is angry enough. There's no need for unnecessary casualties because of your foolishness."

"Excuse me?" Yuki took a step forward angrily. _I hate to admit it, but I miss that baby side of him. A demon can get tired of dealing with a cocky, cold bastard like him constantly._ "I am no _babysitter_."

"Stop fighting over Shuichi." Tatsuha rolled his dark eyes. "The way I see it, Ryuichi is right. You have a lot stuff to do, Aniki. And poor Tohma is hard at work, doing _your_ job." Ryuichi noticed Yuki's temper flare up at the sound of Tohma's name. He frowned curiously. Something had happened between them.

"Fine." Yuki spat out and vanished, leaving them all behind.

"That settles that." Lord Sakuya shrugged. "You okay, Tatsuha? You've been making a lot of trips from here to Hell and back. Sure you're up for it?"

And to Shuichi's surprise, Tatsuha gave his father an exhausted smile. "I think I'm going to stay there for a little while. Take a remedial bath in some lava. That should do the trick." Tatsuha smiled at Shuichi's worried face. "Don't worry, Shu-chan. I'll be fine." And with that, Tatsuha disappeared as well.

"I've got to head out as well." Lord Sakuya frowned, closing his purple orbs. He then opened them rapidly. "Those cruel… they've got Reiko in the examination room. They're trying to force a confession out of her!"

All of Shuichi's hunger expired. "Let's go, Dad!" He cried out, griping his cross enthusiastically.

_Does Shuichi know that Crimson killed Taki? Does he even remember?_ Ryuichi scowled. "Looks like we're going to the examination room." He grabbed onto Shuichi's shoulder and closed his blue eyes. He pictured himself inside a cold, tiled room, containing only a stretcher and a chair.

Shuichi felt himself vanishing. It was an odd feeling. It was as if everything else was disappearing with him. He instinctively closed his eyes as he felt his body flying somewhere. Then… all movement stopped.

Shuichi opened his eyes. He was in a brightly lit room with a steel stretcher in the middle of it. The stretcher had a body on it, but it was partially covered by a white sheet. Then he saw Reiko. She was sitting in a tiny silver chair, with her head buried between her knees.

The room was silent, except for someone's incessant mumbling. Lord Sakuya and Ryuichi were already outside of the room, yelling at the demons outside.

"I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't-" Reiko broke off and slowly lifted her head. "S-Shuichi?"

Shuichi ran to Reiko and grabbed her in a tight hug. Reiko could only put her hands on Shuichi's back. "I'm so tired… but you have given me new strength." Reiko smiled softly, leaning back against the chair. "There is so much pain."

"Reiko… you were still recovering from…" Shuichi broke off, not wanting to think about that horrible experience. "I'm here now and I'll take care of you. Because I know my Mother would have wanted me to. And… and I want to. You've been hurting for so long and your flame beginning to die out. Well… I'm not going to let that happen!"

"Shuichi." Ryuichi called from outside. "Bring her out. We're leaving." Shuichi knelt down and Reiko tiredly climbed onto his back. Shuichi was in shock. She weighed practically nothing and it worried him deeply.

Shuichi walked outside the cold examination room, where he saw Hiroshi arguing with demons dressed in black and white suits. "There's no way Lady Reiko could have done this! She can barely walk!" Hiroshi gave Shuichi a small smile, but quickly went back to yelling. "And furthermore, Reiko didn't take enough of Taki's blood to kill him in the first place! Reiko was in _no_ condition to kill a demon lord."

Shuichi was in a dimly lit hallway. There was a flight of stairs to his right and darkness to his left. What was beyond that darkness? He wanted to know. Badly.

"This discussion ends here." Lord Sakuya spat out coldly and turned his back on the other demons. "We are leaving. Son. Ryuichi. Nakano. Let us depart." And so, all of them left the demons, climbing up the stairs silently. Shuichi was surrounded by darkness… and then found himself on the same stairway where he and Yuki had kissed for the first time.

"How did we get here?" Shuichi looked around, confused. "We were just… somewhere cold and freezing down below. Far down below."

"Most walls in this house have a magic charm on them. If a demon touches a wall, it opens up and he or she is relocated to the main entrance of the house." Ryuichi explained quickly. "Sakuya, I'm taking them both to the kitchen. Nakano, you need to discuss Reiko's defense with Sakuya. I'll meet you both in a while."

"Hiro!" Shuichi called out as his father and Hiroshi began to leave. "What's wrong? You haven't even hugged me yet!"

"I know how Taki died, Shuichi. And it's only a matter of time before you know as well." Hiroshi sighed and felt his forehead. "Shuichi… your strife is far from over. Far."

Shuichi frowned in confusion as both Hiroshi and Lord Sakuya left without another word. "Why is he so upset? You'd think he'd be happy that I'm awake." Shuichi turned to Ryuichi for guidance.

_Nakano knows. It seems that everyone knows except him._ Ryuichi sighed and began his descent to the kitchen. "Shuichi. Do you remember why you woke up? Because Tatsuha told you that if Reiko was found guilty of killing Taki, she would be locked away forever. Now why do you suppose you had a reaction to those words? Not only a reaction, but a complete recovery in a matter of seconds." Ryuichi turned to Shuichi for an answer.

Shuichi stopped walking. _I don't remember Tatsuha talking to me…_ He gripped Crimson's cross. _Hey Crimson! What's going on?_ No answer. _Crimson? Are you sleeping? This is important! I need some answers. _Still nothing.

A look of distress was on the boy's face. "I'm trying to talk to Crimson, but he won't answer me." Shuichi pouted, but then his face brightened up. The trio had reached the kitchen.

Shuichi placed Reiko on the counter and made sure that her back met the wall, because she couldn't even support her own weight. "I don't get it… How could they accuse her? Reiko can barely move on her own!" Shuichi turned to Ryuichi, who was scribbling various words on the fridge.

Before Shuichi knew it, the whole floor seemed to be covered with food. "I'll feed Reiko." Ryuichi gestured to the food and Shuichi dove in. Every single food Shuichi had ever eaten was right in front of him. Even some new ones!

((Now describing this long-awaited, heavenly meal would make you all jealous, so let's skip the gorging scene.)) Shuichi burped loudly and rubbed his stomach. "Wow! That was amazing!" He smiled in satisfaction, turning to Ryuichi. "What now?"

"We're taking Reiko back to infirmary." Ryuichi began walking out of the kitchen. Shuichi gently put Reiko on his back once again, happy that she seemed to have gained a small amount of weight. As soon as Shuichi exited the kitchen, something grabbed his arm. He could feel his body being lifted in the air. He was vanishing just like before…

Shuichi closed his eyes once again but felt slightly helpless. He had to be carried around like a rag doll, because he wasn't strong enough to teleport. He didn't even know _how_ to teleport…

Shuichi's eyes opened and he found himself in a room similar to the one that he had woken up in. There was a huge white bed with white sheets and white pillows, but it was surrounded by a mysterious silver bubble. The bed and the bubble were floating in the middle of the room. Before Shuichi knew it, Ryuichi had taken Reiko off his back and levitating to the bubble.

Ryuichi placed Reiko's body inside and drifted back down to Shuichi. The two were silent for a while. "Shuichi… I'm sorry this happened to you. I thought it was over. I believed it. But… as long as my father is still alive… he will do nothing but plan our destruction. I know it!" Ryuichi said angrily, punching the ground. "I almost lost you… Shuichi, you're everything to me. I can't lose you."

"Ryuichi…" Shuichi's eyes filled with tears. "I love you so much… it hurt so much… And Crimson… he was so caring… he told me… he told me that I was the strongest demon that he knew. He encouraged me to live. You and Crimson… the two of you are my everything. And…"

Ryuichi took Shuichi into his arms and held the smaller half-demon. They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other. _How many times has this happened? How many times have Ryuichi and I cried ourselves to sleep in each other's arms? When will the pain end? _Shuichi sobbed in desperation. _It hurts so much… The physical pain I experienced is nothing compared to the emotional pain… Why?_

Finally, Ryuichi pulled away from him. The tears were gone. A cold mask was on Ryuichi's face now. "We have things to do. Reiko will be guarded at all times since she cannot defend herself." Ryuichi wove his hand and ten zombies appeared, snarling and baring their fangs. "Guard the demon that sleeps. Never leave her."

Shuichi wrinkled his nose in disgust. The zombies were extremely ugly. They had bright green skin, covered in sores and scars. They had beady orange eyes and shoulder-length, stringy black hair. Their mouths were huge, to accommodate their large, sharp fangs.

"What are they?" Shuichi whispered. "I've never seen these creatures before." _They're so creepy, but I sense such sadness from them._ The zombies slowly danced around the ground below Reiko's bed, never stopping their hypnotic and gruesome dance.

"The zombies are a tremendously ancient race. They are neither demons nor ghosts, yet they are older than both." Ryuichi shook his head. "Because they are so old, they are weak compared to demon lords. So both demons and ghosts have enslaved them and duplicated their magic.

"Zombies specialized in Type-Zero Enchantments. These spells were extremely powerful and it was not long before war broke out between demons, angels, ghosts, zombies, and even humans. Finally, a member from each race came forth to call a great council. One that would decide the fate of the universe.

"Type-Zero Enchantments were then forbidden to be used by any and every being, except those five beings that were at that secret council. This law worked out well and surprisingly enough, all the races were able to live in peace. But it wasn't long before the leader of the humans died.

"It turns out this human had taught every Type-Zero spell to his only child without the permission of the council. Because the magic was so powerful, this child was consumed by darkness and sin at an early age. There was only one thing the council could do… they turned this child into a demon, so the child would become stable and somewhat harmless.

"This child's name was Mareo Kisho Uesugi, with a special nickname like no other. It was 'Akuma'. After he grew up, he became the apprentice of the current Devil. After that Devil died, he became the new Lord Lucifer. After my Mother died of mysterious causes… I became suspicious of my Father. I never trusted him again and I went to Lord Lucifer for help.

"Lord Lucifer broke the ancient promise and taught me every Type-Zero spell he knew. Because I was older, more responsible, and more reliable than Yuki, he chose me to be his successor. Once we got stuck in the Half-Demon Realm…I thought I would die before we got out. So I taught every Type-Zero Enchantment to Crimson, because I knew he would be able to execute them more easily than you.

"Crimson used a Type-Zero Enchantment to kill Taki. Once the other demon lords find out that _two_ demons other than Lord Lucifer can use these spells… there will be pandemonium." Ryuichi finished, massaging his forehead with his hand.

"So… what do we do now?" Shuichi stared up at Reiko's bed. "Are we going to be killed for this? It seems like we've done something really illegal. What's your plan?"

"I'm going to talk to my old mentor. Akuma…" Ryuichi had a thoughtful look on his face. "My Master. My true Father…" Shuichi had never seen such a look on Ryuichi's face before. The two exited the room, leaving Reiko and the zombies behind.

"Wait a minute… if Lord Lucifer used to be human, then who was the demon at that secret council?" Shuichi asked as they walked down the hallway.

"Nuri, the king of the phoenixes. He wanted the war to end the most, because seventy-five percent of his population had been slaughtered." Ryuichi smirked. "Reiko's and Ayaka's father." They passed Shuichi's room.

"Oh… My father doesn't like him." Shuichi said casually, remembering that odd dream he had while in his coma. They walked down a flight of stairs.

"As well he shouldn't. Nuri is the one who started all of this." Ryuichi shook his head gravelly. "Relentless hothead… He's probably still having children. And because he has so many different children with so many different wives, he has no sense of commitment. Because he has no sense of commitment, his entire family hates him. It won't be long before they assassinate him because of his overbearing apathy." The two stopped walking suddenly, shocked at the sight ahead of them…


	12. Chapter 11: I Shall Not Wholly Die

**I'm truly sorry for not returning any of the reviews and for taking too much time to update. Please, don't think I'm stuck up or something. I really did reply and then when I pressed the button "save changes", the next page said I had to log in... in order to do that. So I basically lost... my replies to you guys, my edits, revisions... My computer is fucking retarded and all the extra work I did on this chapteris complete gone and my Mom put me on a flipping diet because according to her my thighs are too fucking fat and my best friend is being emotionally abused by her asswipe mother and my summer is sucking right about now. Hope yours is doing better, much better. Oh yeah... I don't own "Echo" by Trapt. **

_**CHAPTER ELEVEN:**_

**_"I SHALL NOT WHOLLY DIE…"_**

Shuichi burst out laughing at this particular display of kindness. Yuki was standing there, glaring daggers at Shuichi. He had two bickering children on his back. "SHUICHI!" They chorused at the same time.

"Michael! Saki!" Shuichi cried out as the two kids simultaneously jumped on him. The three shared one huge hug. Finally, Michael and Saki got off him. "I missed you guys! Have you been training, Saki? Your demonic aura got stronger!"

"Yeah! We've been doing target practice! I'm the target!" Michael smiled proudly and he had the Band-Aids to show it. They seemed to cover the poor boy, but nevertheless, he was still happy. "And we've been practicing self-control. And by the way, Shuichi… what _are_ you wearing? A demon of your importance should _never_ walk around dressed like _that_. Being in a coma is _no_ excuse for bad fashion."

Shuichi blushed and looked down at his plain white robe. "Give me a break, Michael. Or else I'll use _you_ as a target!" And to emphasize his point, he pointed his finger at the small blonde boy and shot a tiny spurt of water on Michael's cheek.

"Ugh! Grow up!" Saki threw her hands in the air in annoyance. "Alright then, Lord Yuki! Take us back to Shuichi's room so we can dress him properly!" Ryuichi smirked at Yuki and began walking away.

"I guess you like the role of babysitter, Yuki." Ryuichi called out over his shoulder. "I'll see you tonight, Shuichi."

"Bye Ryuichi!" Shuichi screamed out at the top of his lungs. "I love you!" He blew a huge kiss at Ryuichi. Ryuichi turned at the exact moment and pretended to catch it. The two shared a secret, implicit look. Then Ryuichi vanished.

"Geez. Who's your lover, Lord Yuki or him?" Saki rolled her eyes. "Make up your mind. You can't have both." Yuki turned to Shuichi, hiding his surprise.

"Huh?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side and then burst out laughing. "Me and Ryuichi? That'd be like you dating Michael! It's ridiculous!"

"What's so ridiculous?" Michael stuck his tiny nose in the air. "I think I'm very good-looking!" Yuki glared at the hallway ahead of him.

"Good-looking for a toad." Saki muttered darkly and began stomping off down the hallway.

"I am not a toad!" Michael cried out, taking out his large paintball gun. "Take that back, Ukai!"

"Make me, Winchester!" Saki whirled around, holding a purple lightning bolt in her hand. It began to fizzle and crack, sending tiny jets of purple light everywhere.

"I'm warning you…" Michael steadied his gun and aimed it at Saki. "This is new black ink! Your dress is going to be the color of Lord Tatsuha's hair!" Without warning, he began shooting rapidly. Saki in turn, threw her mighty lightning bolt at Michael. Just when Shuichi was about to save the small boy, Michael threw himself to the floor, still shooting at Saki.

"Wow…" Shuichi blinked in amazement. "They're good training partners." Michael put his paintball gun away and took out a water gun. Saki growled and began flipping and dodging the water as fast as she could. Michael then increased the intensity of the water and it was getting harder and harder for Saki to dodge it.

Finally, Saki sent out one gigantic ball of lightning that hit the water mid-air. There was a huge explosion and everyone was temporarily blinded for the time being. Then all the energy went away.

"That was… amazing! Saki, I'm so proud of you!" Shuichi grabbed her in a tight hug. "You've learned so much… and you too, Michael. Going up against Saki must be hard for you. But you did it. It was a draw."

"Prince Ryuichi trained us both while you were sleeping." Saki said arrogantly as she began sauntering down the hallway. Michael jumped on Shuichi's back and the half-demon began following her.

"Shuichi." A cold voice stopped the boy in his tracks. The half-demon whirled around to look up at Yuki, who was glaring down at him.

"Yes?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side. "What's wrong?" _Yuki's angry… but so am I! He never apologized for snubbing me before!_

"_What's wrong?" I spent two weeks with this brat and he completely ignores me, pretending to be immersed in the caring of those brats. How dare he?_ Yuki said nothing, but his eyes gave him away. _But then… does he even remember that I found him? Or does he only remember that I ignored him first…_

"Yuki… once you're positive that can you be with me and not hide it… I'll be ready." Shuichi smiled sadly and turned away from the demon lord. Saki narrowed her eyes at Yuki, sniffed in haughty indignation, and kept on walking.

Yuki didn't move from the spot he was in. The three were almost out of his sight. They had opened the door to Shuichi's room. They were inside Shuichi's room. Suddenly, he cracked. Yuki stormed inside Shuichi's room and literally threw the two kids onto the balcony.

Yuki slammed the sliding doors shut and gave the two children outside a warning glare. "I _wasted_ two weeks watching _you_. I discarded _all_ of my responsibilities for _you_. I _will_ be punished by my Father because of _you_. Do you _honestly_ think I _want_ to hide anything _now_?" His gold eyes were fiery with passionate anger.

Shuichi sat down on his bed in surprise, pondering what the older demon lord has just said to him. "I… umm… But why did you ignore me before? You really hurt me, Yuki!" He pouted up at Yuki.

"If Tohma knew how important you were to me… he would've killed you right then and there." Yuki sighed. _Not that my ignoring him worked… Tohma knows me too well… Obsessive freak… I think it's time I had a chat with Mika…_ "I did it to protect you." _And failed miserably…_

"Oh Yuki! You're so thoughtful!" Shuichi jumped up and landed right in Yuki's arms. Their lips met in a quick, chaste kiss. But it felt so magical that they both wanted more. "Yuki… I…" Yuki interrupted the boy, crushing his lips against Shuichi's soft pink ones.

Shuichi could feel himself falling, falling, falling… until he realized that he was lying down on his own bed. Yuki was on top of him, straddling him. The long kiss had never been broken. Shuichi knew then… this was a sign. They would fall together… but they would stay together. No matter who pushed them.

Yuki finally broke the kiss off, smirking down at the panting Shuichi. His lips were slightly swollen and he was gasping for air, his beautiful purple orbs fixated on Yuki. They seemed to sparkle with happiness.

Yuki finally couldn't take it anymore. He tore off Shuichi's robe in a moment of passion and was pleasantly surprised. The boy's skin, which Yuki had imagined to be smooth and perfect, was covered in lacerations and scars. Shuichi had a slim, lean slightly muscular structure to his upper body.

"Taki… did this?" Yuki trailed his fingers lightly down the boy's chest and his stomach. _Some of these scars are new… they were made by a rare sword… I will find out who else was there when Taki raped him… and I will kill whoever slashed him. I will kill him._

"The Half-Demon Realm did this." Shuichi smiled sadly. "I can understand… if you think I'm ugly."

"No… these scars are a part of you. They make you the resilient boy I know. You survived, Shuichi." Yuki bent his head and began kissing and licking his way down the boy's body. He paid special attention to each and every one of Shuichi's scars, licking and caressing them all gently.

"Y-Yuki…" Shuichi closed his eyes in sheer pleasure. This was the first time… someone had cared for him so gently. _He doesn't think I'm ugly…_ His eyes opened wide as Yuki's mouth latched onto one of his nipples.

Suddenly, a loud sound interrupted them. The sliding doors opened. "Let's keep this PG here!" Saki stormed in, followed by Michael. "We _have_ a child in the room." Yuki sat up and pulled Shuichi into his lap.

"You were the one looking. I give my parents privacy all the time." Michael sniffed, sticking out his tongue at Saki. "Well, at least you took care of undressing Shuichi. At least we can get some real clothes on him now. Saki and Lord Yuki… I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Excuse me?" Saki glared at Michael. "Who do you think you are, bossing me around?" _The nerve of him! That little brat!_

"Umm… I…" Shuichi sighed in defeat. _I suppose I don't get any say in this… Michael is just as bossy as Saki is… Those two are such an influence on each other… _

"You have no fashion sense, even though you're a girl." Michael shrugged, looking up at Yuki. "Believe me, once you see what he has on, you'll be glad I kicked you out of the room." Yuki quickly left without another word, dragging Saki with him. "Finally, some peace!" Michael skipped over to the open door and shut it.

Michael ran to the dresser and began pulling out various articles of clothing. "Let's see… we need something striking to catch Lord Yuki's eye… but not too exposing so you're walking around half-naked…"

* * *

"Hey Aniki, what are you doing waiting out here? You know dad is looking for you." The raven-haired demon sauntered over to where Yuki and Saki were waiting outside of Shuichi's room. 

"I'm waiting for the brat to come outside because I have to take him to see Lord Sakuya." The older demon replied in his usual tone of voice, uncaring. Tatsuha was about to say something else when the door to Shuichi's room opened and out walked Michael.

"Where's the..." Yuki started but stopped in mid-sentence after seeing Shuichi walk out of the room. He was wearing a tight lime green t-shirt followed by yellow jeans ((way too tight)) leaving nothing to the imagination with rips and tears in them. Also to compliment the lime green of the shirt were a pair of lime green Chuck Taylors on his feet and with a finishing touch wore a pink arm warmer on his left hand.

But the interesting thing was on Shuichi's face was bright orange eye shadow and a black tear just under his left eye. The pink haired demon noticed the way Yuki was looking at him with lust in his eyes and decided to play along he started to walk in front of the others with his ass in perfect sight of Yuki, adding a little sway to his hips he continued along his way down the hallway.

"Where to?" Shuichi smiled secretly back at Yuki, his purple orbs flashing seductively. Tatsuha laughed and shook his head at the dumbfounded look on Yuki's face.

"Down the hallway and to-" Tatsuha started.

"The magic staircase!" Michael whooped and began running.

Yuki followed closely behind Shuichi. He was already scheming, plotting when, how, and where he would be able to screw that perfect ass so that the younger half-demon wouldn't be able to walk straight for a week. With a smirk on his face ((not going unnoticed by the blonde demon's brother)), he continued staring at that gorgeous piece of flesh, just begging to be ravaged.

"Geez, Lord Tatsuha! Can't you just teleport us? All this walking is making me tired!" Saki turned around and glared at the older demon lord.

"I'm sorry… I'm just a bit tired." Tatsuha smiled grimly and Shuichi noticed the exhausted look in the male's dark eyes.

"Give him a break, Saki. We've all been through a lot today." Shuichi snapped out, placing his arm over Tatsuha's shoulders. Tatsuha turned to Shuichi in surprise and then smiled fondly.

"Geez, Saki. You're such a brat." Michael rolled his eyes. "Lord Yuki can teleport us. Did you ever think of asking him?"

"Ask him?" Saki squawked. "He hates us enough already!" _Like I feel like dying today… God that human is so stupid sometimes… Why the hell do I keep him around? He has a pea-sized brain and he's always smiling! What the hell can he possibly be happy about? All the adults are going insane and all I hear about is Reiko and Type-Zero this and illegal that and- LORD MANCHU?_

Saki's broke off because the demon lord mentioned had just appeared out of nowhere. Shuichi's arms automatically went to his waist… but nothing was there. "Oh no…" Shuichi had _no_ idea where his clothes or his twin daggers were.

"What do you want, Manchu?" Yuki spat out, his eyes blazing dangerously. He began to think of a quick, painful spell to cast on the nuisance. Manchu, with the speed of a cheetah, drew his blade and struck it right through Shuichi's stomach. It seemed to happen in slow motion… but yet… Shuichi's blood had spurted out in every possible direction. With a nauseating motion, Manchu withdrew his sword from Shuichi's abdomen.

Two screams echoed throughout the whole castle. Michael's… and Shuichi's. "SHUICHI!" Michael screeched out, watching the half-demon slowly plummet to the floor. Saki's eyes turned red with anger, as did Tatsuha's.

"YOU BASTARD!" Saki roared, sending about twenty purple lightning bolts at Manchu. Manchu ((who seemed mildly surprised)) just used his sword to cut through all of them. His sinister blade shone with the color of Crimson's hair.

Yuki closed his eyes and made lightning-fast motions with his hands. Before Manchu knew it, his entire body had been engulfed by black and silver flames. Tatsuha dove into the inferno and jumped back unscathed, holding Manchu's sword. Saki kept shooting her lightning bolts at the flames, which made them even more dangerous and scorching.

Michael knelt down next to Shuichi, holding his unconscious head in his lap. "You'll be okay, Shuichi. You always bounce back…" He tried hard not to cry. Manchu snapped his fingers at Michael, but no one saw the light enter his body.

"This blade has been acquainted with Shuichi's blood once before." Tatsuha studied the exquisite sword. "There's no mistaking it. Manchu was the other demon present that night."

This made Yuki about… a trillion times madder. He put even more of his anger, his guilt, his hatred… he channeled it all into his fire, his fire that would bring about Manchu's end.

* * *

Shuichi was standing somewhere. He was surrounded by darkness. Was he alive? Was he dead? Was he both? He felt nothing, nothing at all and it scared him. The emptiness seemed to envelope him, in a sinisterly comforting way. The darkness was there to make sure that no one could find him. 

"_So no one finds you. Big deal."_ A voice from above Shuichi's declared. Shuichi looked up. Nothing but darkness was there. _"If no one finds you, then you'll be alone forever. Do you really want that? Pain is a part of life and you can't hide from it. Don't hide in the darkness. Don't let it engulf you."_

"No… I don't want to be alone!" Shuichi clenched his fists. Suddenly, a light shone down on him. So bright that he had to shield his eyes. He now realized where he was. He was standing on a stage and he was currently under an intense stage light. He could see something, not too far away. A crowd of some sort… where they humans, angels or just shadows… figments of his imagination…

"What is this place?" Shuichi looked behind him and saw that the same mysterious crowd was behind him as well. He thought he recognized someone in the crowd, but he didn't trust his eyesight under that dazzling light.

"Are you ready? Are you ready to finally be free?" The same voice called out to him. Shuichi knew that voice. He just knew it. Before Shuichi knew it, he was holding a microphone. He heard guitars being played in the background and suddenly he was singing, pouring out his heart into words he didn't even know:

((Okay A/N:** Bold is Shuichi,** _Italics is the female_ and **_Bold Italics is both_.))**

"**Close my eyes**

**Let the whole thing pass me by**

**There is no time**

**To waste… asking why**

**I'll run away with you, by my side**

**I'll run away with you, by my side…**

**(Close my eyes)**

**(Let the whole thing pass me by)**

**I need to let go, let go, let go, let go of this pride… yeah**

**(Asking why)…"**

Shuichi sang beautifully and he was so engrossed in these magical words that he didn't even notice that someone was standing next to him. His eyes casually floated over to the person and he nearly fell to the floor. This person had an angelic, clear voice, just like him:

"_I think about your face_

_And how I fall into your eyes_

_The outline that I trace_

_Around the one that I call mine_

_Time that called for space_

_Unclear where you drew the line_

_I don't need to solve this case_

_And I don't need to look behind…"_

This person was a female, with long, flowing pink hair that looked at soft as a cloud in the sky. Her bright cerulean eyes gleamed when she sang and her perfectly round-shaped face showed off her youthful features. She wore as an outfit concealed by a forest green cloak sweeping the floor as she swayed with the music. She unlaced her cloak from around her neck and it vanished before it fell to the ground.

"_**Close my eyes**_

_**Let the whole thing pass me by**_

_**There is no time**_

_**To waste asking why (asking why)**_

**I'll run away with you, by my side**_(by my side)_

_**I'll run away with you, by my side**_

_(Close my eyes)_

_(Let the whole thing pass me by)_

**I need to let go, let go, let go,**

_(There is no time…)_

**Let go of this pride… yeah**

_(asking why )…** "**_

Shuichi was amazed that the both of them could sing in perfect harmony. It was then that he knew whose voice he had heard earlier. It had been the voice of Seki, coaxing him out of darkness, just as any caring mother should do. But how… how could his mother have reached him from hell. Was he really that close to death?

"**Do I expect to change**

**The past I hold inside?**

**With all the words I say**

**Repeating over in my mind**

**Some things you can't erase**

**No matter how hard you try**

**An exit to escape**

**Is all there is left to find…"**

Now the outfit Seki was wearing underneath the cloak was visible. It was a white dress made out of satin with laces going up her chest in a criss-cross motion. The dress was off the shoulder exposing her creamy pale complexion. There was lace covering her bosom and her long sleeves were made of lace. It was ironic because she looked like an angel, but yet she was condemned to spend all eternity in hell. To add to her angelic ensemble was a silver head crown morphing into an intricate design.

"_**Close my eyes**_

_**Let the whole thing pass me by**_

_**There is no time**_

**To waste asking why**_(asking why)_

**I'll run away with you, by my side**_(by my side)_

_**I'll run away with you, by my side**_

_(Close my eyes)_

_(Let the whole thing pass me by)_

**I need to let go, let go, let go,**

_(There is no time…)_

**Let go of this pride…**

**Until this echo, echo, echo, **

_(Close my eyes)_

**Echo in my mind**

_(Let the whole thing pass me by)_

**Until this echo, echo, echo, **

_(There is no time)_

**Echo can subside… yeah…"**

Shuichi pondered his predicament during the interlude. Here he was, in some bizarre, surreal realm, sharing a stage with his dead mother. Who'd of thought it? Would anyone even believe him once he got back… Where exactly was he?

"_**I know I always loved you**_

_**I know I always loved you**_

_**I know I always loved you**_

_**So I close my eyes**_

_**Let the whole thing pass me by**_

_**There is no time**_

_**To waste asking why**_

_**I'll run away with you, by my side**_

_**I'll run away with you, by my side**_

(Close my time)

(Let the whole thing pass me by)

**I need to let go, let go, let go,**

_(There is no time…)_

**Let go of this pride…**

**Until this echo, echo, echo, **

_(Close my eyes)_

**Echo in my mind**

_(Let the whole thing pass me by)_

**Until this echo, echo, echo, **

_(There is no time)_

**Echo can subside…"**

"My son…" Seki turned to Shuichi. Shuichi threw himself into his mother's open arms. "We don't have much time… and this is not truly a meeting between mother and son. For you are on the borderline of death and I am on the borderline of life. We should not be here in this realm, but we are. We are fortunate that Akuma permitted me to come here…"

"One day… we'll meet for real, Mom…" Shuichi smiled softly against his mother's white dress. "I promise."

"Shuichi, you must be strong." Seki kissed her son's forehead. "Once you awaken, utter these words: 'Non omnis moriar.'"

"What does that mean?" Shuichi never got his answer, because he was being swept away into the realm of the living, far, far, away from his mother. He saw her fade away, along with the stage, the light, and the crowds… _Oka-san…_

* * *

Shuichi's purple eyes flickered open. The first thing he saw was Michael's tearstained face. The first thing he felt was unbearable pain. The first thing he heard was the crackle of Saki's lightning bolts. The first thing he smelt was burning flesh, the flesh of his half-brother… 

Shuichi jumped up onto his feet and belted out the words his mother had taught him: "NON OMNIS MORIAR!" And everyone ceased his or her movements to look at him. Even Manchu's blank eyes were fixated on him. A gust of wind vanquishedthe silver and black flames.

The mystifying wind swept through each and every being: Yuki, Tatsuha, Manchu, Saki, and Michael. Shuichi was aware that his cross was shining brightly. The gently breeze surrounded Shuichi and he could feel energy pouring into him. Energy healing his wounds, energy healing his fatigue, energy giving him life.

The tender wind vanished as quickly as it had come. Manchu promptly passed out on the ground. Shuichi let out a great sigh of relief and pretended to wipe sweat off his brow, completely oblivious to the fact that everyone was still ogling him. "Huh? What is it?" Shuichi finally saw all the eyes on him.

"Shuichi… what was that…" Poor Michael was in shock. "You… you had so much power. I could even feel it and I'm just a human…"

"_That_ was a Type-Zero Enchantment." Tatsuha raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you learn a powerful spell like that?" _Oh-kay… I need to have a little chat with Dad… He could get into a LOT of trouble for this…_

"Uh… my mother?" Shuichi winced at the skeptical looks. "Look, I don't know what the heck happened! All I know is that I was somewhere dark and then Oka-san came out of nowhere and she sang with me on a stage, except I didn't know who our fans were 'cause their bodies looked all freakish and we sounded so cool together because we're both _really_ good singers and then she told me to say those words and then I woke up and then I said them and then-"

"And that makes _perfect_ sense." Yuki growled suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at the boy. "And I suppose that this was some kind of odd dream and you were in some kind of odd place that you could probably never visit when you're conscious."

"Yeah, yeah, that's right!" Shuichi smiled, but then realized that Yuki was being sarcastic. "Oh… you don't believe me…" Tears welled up in his eyes.

"I was so alone and so scared and I couldn't see anything and it was real! It was real!" Shuichi burst into tears and glared at Yuki. Michael's small body shuddered for a moment, as if he was picturing Shuichi's predicament. He hung his head, as if to hide his tears. Then his head shot straight up confidently, as if he had transformed completely.

"Ugh! Calm down you drama queen!" Saki rolled her eyes. "Michael and I believe you, if that makes you feel any better. Heck, anything goes in this freaky castle. I find it ironic that the son of the devil doesn't believe that Hell exists."

"I was in Hell?" Shuichi's eyes widened.

"Well duh! You were dying and your Mother probably came to bring you back to life. _All_ demons go to hell when they die, stupid." Saki sighed. "Do I have to explain _everything_ to you imbeciles?"

"Hey! I'm not an imbecile! Lord Yuki is!" Michael pouted adorably and scurried over to Shuichi. "Shuichi, you're really cool. I mean, demons have all the fun and all us humans are so limited. We have no hellish connections…" And the small blonde sighed mournfully, scratching his golden head.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Tatsuha smirked. "Your Dad is high up there on the social food chain."

"Yeah… but where does that leave me? Where do I fit in? Why would anyone help me?" Michael frowned pensively. "I don't feel like I belong."

_Umm… ok… Since when is he a philosopher?_ Shuichi scowled, studying the boy closely. _Something's wrong with him…_

"I don't belong… because I'll always be different. I'm a human surrounded by demons." Michael let out another long sigh. "I sometimes wonder how my Father can stand it. I then realized that I must suffer the same fate. It takes a village to raise a child, they once said. I will be raised by demons, but never treated like one. I am an alien in all three worlds. I cannot identify with the human children in my old school, for I have seen more bloodshed and calamity than they ever will.

"I will never be accepted by demons. They scorn humans for their iniquity, yet demons perform acts so horrific… Sex, money, authority, and violence rule all three worlds. What makes a demon lord differ from a human prostitute? Why is it that it is a demon's _nature_ to slaughter humans? Why is it that a half-demon's fate is to suffer? What gives the strong the right to annihilate the weak?

"I fear that I will never understand as long as I shall live." Michael turned to Yuki. "And you. You are the worst hypocrite of all."

"Michael… what is _wrong_ with you?" Saki scowled, her eyes flashing red. "Shuichi, I think Lord Manchu did something to him!"

Michael let out a laugh that clearly wasn't human. "That's right fool." Michael's voice had completely changed. It was now the bitter tone of Manchu. "You took my sword, so I'm taking the boy. His wise mind is quite developed, but still very young. I can mold and shape him in any way I please. And I will teach him. I will teach him to hate you, Shuichi.

"I'll break him. Your torture started at eight. His shall start at five. I wonder… how will he turn out? Will he preserve his innocence, like you? Or will he give into foolish bloodlust, like your other half? Even better… will he completely loose his mind, lost in the oblivion of suffering and isolation? Let's wait and see, shall we?" Michael stood there with a sick grin on his face.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…" Saki sunk to the floor and held her head with her hands. "MICHAEL!" Shuichi could only stare in shock at the small boy who had been possessed by Manchu. Tears of disbelief and hurt spilled from his eyes.

"You bastard." Tatsuha scowled at Michael, still holding Manchu's sword. "We _will_ find you. We will." Saki was sobbing on the ground loudly.

"How dare you…" Shuichi was angry, so very angry. "How dare you take Michael? He didn't do _anything_ to you! He has nothing to do with your hatred for me! Let him go! Let him go!" Shuichi was so furious, he was seeing red.

"Enough." Yuki put a hand on Shuichi's shoulder, pulling him back. "When will we make the trade?"

"You fool!" Michael let out a horrid, sickening laugh. The voice of Manchu forced itself from his tiny throat. "There will be no _trade_. I have the boy and that is that. _I_ will decide when he is ready."

_Kuso! I don't even know how the heck he managed to posses Michael… so how can I use a counter spell?_ Tatsuha ran his fingers through his hair impatiently. _I need to buy some time… Distract him a little… He's talking an awful lot… He must feel that no matter what… we can't get him back as of now…_

"Ah yes… I have decided." Michael smiled sinisterly. "I will take my leave now." And all four of them watched in horror as Michael's entire body glowed blue. It slowly broke down in front of their eyes. It was as if he was a glass statue and he had just shattered into pieces. But instead of glass pieces, he was a pile of tiny blue cubes.

The cubes whirled around and began positioning themselves on the floor. Before they knew it, there was a message on the floor: TEN YEARS, SHU-CHAN… Cubes made up of Michael's body had inscribed the entire message. And then the cubes vanished into thin air.

"He's gone…" Saki choked out, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "I can't believe this just happened… I can't… I can't…" Shuichi stood there, crying as well. He was dumbfounded. He slowly dropped to the floor and held Saki in his arms.

_How could I have let this happen? Why am I so weak?_ Shuichi wanted to punch something. _I stood there like an idiot and let Manchu take Michael… I'm no better than… Oh gods, why did it have to be him… Michael… Michael…_

Tatsuha was furious. He was an idiot. Decades and decades he wasted learning spells and counter spells. And for what? Only to be thunderstruck like an _amateur_? He should have known what to do! But he didn't… The raven-haired demon sighed loudly, shaking his head.

Yuki seemed to be the only calm one in the group. _Once his parents find out, they'll send every spy and ally to fetch him. He'll be back soon, wreaking havoc in this house once again. But… what was that spell that Manchu used? I didn't even…_ Yuki's eyes widened in realization. Manchu had snapped his fingers at Michael! Why hadn't he noticed it before?

"You must find Fujisaki." A serene, silent voice murmured through the hallway. Everyone whirled around. It was a tiny, floating, transparent ghost with short, messy hair and sad eyes. But that voice…

"MICHAEL?" Saki let out a shriek. "Oh no… he's dead…"

"No, no… I'm not dead." Michael shook his see-through head. "You see… have you ever heard of Molecular Teleportation?" Shuichi couldn't believe how calm Michael was. Yuki couldn't believe that he was looking at a floating soul.

"Of course!" Tatsuha grinned, finally feeling useful. "It's an ancient form of transportation. The physical body breaks down into gigantic cubes made up of molecules and the cubes simply rearrange themselves somewhere else. But a soul isn't made up of molecules, so it gets left behind."

"That sounds about right." Michael grinned. "So anyway, you guys have to find a demon named 'Fujisaki'. He'll have all the answers you need." Michael's soul flicked from their vision for a second. "Oops… I gotta go. My body is starting to restructure itself somewhere…" His soul began flickering again.

"Michael…" Shuichi clenched a fist. "I promise… I'll save you. I will."

"Be strong." Yuki advised the fading spirit. "And be patient."

"We'll find this 'Fujisaki'!" Tatsuha shouted encouragingly.

"Michael… you're my best friend. I love you." Saki sniffed. "I wish I could've gotten one last hug…"

"I love you all!" Michael flickered again and his voice sounded wavy. "You know what I just realized, Shuichi? That it doesn't matter what happens to me. I'll _always_ be with you. Even if you died… I'd still follow your ghost." The soul of Michael burst into tiny shards of light and then faded away, going on a journey to Michael's physical body.

_I'll save you… A thousand times I'll save you…_ Shuichi thought mournfully.

**Next chapter... Shuichi gets put on trial because he's been accused of murdering Taki. Guess who the prosecutor is...**


	13. Chapter 12: Biased

**Hello! Been a while, but at least it didn't take me a month to update this time. Ok, no songs in this chapter. **

**To Night-Owl123-**You know... you leave very short reviews lol. But I appreciate the big and the small.

**To Aacire**- Ummm... the Easter Bunny? ((Just between you and me... he's gone till the sequel))

**To Tybalt**- Just because I combined the idea of demons and magic doesn't mean my story's like a popular TV show with demons: Inuyasha and a popular book about magic: Harry Potter. But nevertheless, I'mthankful for your review.

**To cryearthstearsfalltou**- Lol. Poor ickle Mikey... He's gone...

**To ****xunxin kohaku**- Sorry your house is so noisy lol. I have a little cousin and she's loud, too. And while nobody really liked Taki ((lmao)) Shu still has to be put on trial. Procedure, right?

**To GuardianHisoka**- Hey did your name come from Yami no Matsuei? I just got into the magna. To bad the anime's only 13 episodes... Cruel fate... I don't know how many lists you can put this fic on, but go on ahead! I like enthustiastic reviews lol.

**To Julie C**-Yup, after Shu's trial is done, Fuji comes into play. But I must warn you... you will be shocked.

**To shady gurl**- Hey! I never had a psychic review before! You're awesome!

**To GreyGranian**- Oooooooooh. I'm glad you like my fic.

_**CHAPTER TWELVE:**_

_**BIASED**_

Shuichi was skipping happily down a hallway, having fun while yet again exploring the mansion. He walked into a room full of purple trampolines and began jumping on them.

"Yippee!" Shuichi began jumping from trampoline to trampoline. _I wish Michael were here to see this… _The thought of Michael sucked every happy thought out of Shuichi's system. Shuichi plopped down on the purple trampoline and tears began to form in his eyes. "Michael… I miss you…" He sniffed loudly and then froze. A whole bunch of demons were walking by outside. And who was with them… "REIKO!"

Shuichi ran outside of the room, only to see Reiko being dragged along in chains. Eight armed demons dressed in black and silver surrounded her, all ready to pull out their deadly swords if necessary to restrain her. Reiko looked like death. Not physical death, but mental. Her lifeless red eyes found Shuichi's hopeless ones.

"What are you doing to her?" Shuichi screamed at the demons. One of them sent out a fireball at Shuichi, which he effortlessly dodged. Shuichi ran in front of the group and stretched out his arms. "I demand to know where you're going with Reiko!"

"If you must know, _half_-_breed_, we're taking Lady Reiko back to her cell." The demon in front spat out at Shuichi. Shuichi quivered in anger. "Daddy's not here to protect you. He's taking a long vacation in Hell, so you'd _better_ watch it."

"And did my 'Daddy' _authorize_ this treatment of Reiko?" Shuichi glared angrily at the demon. "Let her go… right now!" Shuichi's cross began glowing, as if responding to his anger.

"She's a potential danger to society and to herself. She must be imprisoned." The demon snapped out. "She committed a murder, _half_-_breed_."

"I didn't know half-breed's suffered from short-term memory loss…" Another demon spoke, feigning innocence. All the demons burst out laughing.

Shuichi quivered with anger until he saw red. He tore his cross off in fury, releasing the lethal sadistic half of him a.k.a. Crimson. Crimson flexed his long fingers, stretching his claws menacingly, holding onto the cross with one hand.

"So… you think Reiko killed the bastard?" Crimson asked softly. The other demons began to back away. They knew of his power and his brutality. Everyone in the castle knew by now. "Well then, I suppose demons come in stupid and ugly. Because I killed Taki. Now let the wench go."

Reiko looked up at Crimson in shock, the first emotion fully showing in her eyes for a long time. The demon next to Reiko immediately took the chains off her and threw her to the ground. The eight demons had encircled Crimson in a nanosecond. Reiko quickly stood up.

"What are you saying?" Reiko looked at Crimson frantically. "You weren't supposed to…" _Sakuya told me I was to take the blame for Shuichi._

"What makes you think I'd listen to that old man?" Crimson held his arms out, allowing the demons to put him in chains. "Why should I let _you_ take the credit for _my_ work?" The cross clattered to the ground loudly.

"Silence, worm." One of the demons hit Crimson in the back of the head.

"Oh… I'm going to enjoy marring you." Crimson smiled sadistically, revealing his fangs. "And after I'm done… the wench can have the drink of a lifetime. Because my kills contain the _best_ blood."

Crimson leapt in the air, with his arms still tied behind his back. His eyes glowed white and four black wings sprung out from his back. "MEMENTO MORI!" The four black wings removed themselves from Crimson's back and began whirling around the eight demons.

A huge black tornado, accompanied by white lightning had swallowed up the eight demons. Eight horrid screams echoed all through the mansion. Crimson flew down to the ground, grabbed onto Reiko, and ascended once again to the air.

"W-what is that?" Reiko shouted in Crimson's ear over the tornado.

"A Reminder of Death. Lovely Type Zero to use. It's a psychological spell." Crimson explained without interest. He snapped his fingers and the tornado began to slow down, until only the four black wings remained.

The wings floated back up to Crimson. The eight demons dropped to the ground, unconscious. The wings reattached themselves onto Crimson's back and then disintegrated into particles of black dust. His eyes resumed their natural color and he descended back onto the ground.

Crimson set Reiko on the ground, somewhat gently. "Go ahead." Crimson gestured to the eight fallen bodies. "Their bodies are warm, too." Reiko flashed a grin at Crimson and dove for the nearest one, fangs ready to devour.

_Who'd of thought something like this would make her happy?_ Crimson thought before he could stop himself. _The forbidden use of Type Zero frightens most wenches. What makes her so different?_ Crimson eyed the silver-haired woman sucking the life out her fifth body. _Someone moves fast. I suppose she's used to quick meals. Hmm… I wonder how mad the old man is going to be…_

_Let's see… A half-demon resisting arrest from eight full-blooded demons. 20 points. A half-demon attacked eight full-blooded demons. 35 points. Using a Type Zero Enchantment. 50 points. Using a Type Zero Enchantment to inflict pain upon several demons. 120 points. A half-demon allowing a vampire (who was previously incarcerated) to take advantage of eight incapacitated full-blooded demons. Too many points to count. And I suppose if I was a demon, I could subtract 15-20 points for each offense. Life is grand, ain't it? _

_Hmm… Making up my own prejudiced point system if fun. Then again, this is points system is as close to reality as I'm ever gonna get. Everyone's hates half-demons. Such a shame I can't add. Oh well. I guess I'm in deep shit._ Crimson broke off once he saw Reiko standing in front of him expectantly.

"What?" Crimson snapped out, angry that his train of thought had been interrupted.

"Sorry. I was just wondering… why did you help me?" Reiko innocently blinked up at Crimson.

"What are you apologizing for? Demons don't apologize to disgusting half-demons. They abuse them." Crimson said bitterly and turned away from Reiko. _Okay… why am I biting her head off? Oh well. Being an asshole is fun. Let's see if she cracks and slaps me. Then I can suck her blood. I wonder if it tastes good…_

"I'm sorry you're so angry." Reiko smiled sadly.

"Why do you keep apologizing?" Crimson blew up. "What is wrong with you?" _How pathetic is she? "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Ugh… how revolting. Never mind. Her blood probably tastes remorseful, too. "Oh, I'm sorry my blood doesn't contain enough hemoglobin so the flavor isn't that good!" Grrrrrrr…_

"I… I…" Reiko broke off, her eyes gazing at the ground. She slowly licked her lips, removing the blood off them. "I don't know why I'm making you so angry." _I wish he wasn't so cross all the time. He really is Shuichi's opposite…_

"Because you're so…" Crimson stopped himself from ripping her throat open. "Why do you care anyway? Why don't you just go commit suicide you can join my Mother in Hell… isn't that what _you_ want to do?"

Reiko stared at Crimson in shock, tears falling from her eyes. _"Crimson! Stop being so mean!" _Shuichi shouted in Crimson's head. _"You saved her, now leave her alone! I can't believe you're being so insensitive! And don't you dare suck her blood!"_

"_Oh fine… I'll leave."_ Crimson rolled his eyes and turned around. "See you." He called over his shoulder as he began strolling off down the hallway. _Wonder how long it'll be till the demons come to jail me_. One sound stopped him.

Crimson whirled around. Reiko had slumped on the ground, not too far away from the demons' bodies. The demons that were beginning to wake up. "Oh great…" Crimson sighed loudly. "Hey, get over here before they wake up!" He shouted down the hallway. Reiko continued sobbing. She was either ignoring him or she was too wrapped up in her own depression. Or maybe both.

"_CRIIIIIIIIIIIIIMSON!" _Shuichi whined in Crimson's head, making him cringe. _"You have to save her! Look what you did!"_

"_Go back to sleep you little imp!"_ Crimson shouted crossly in his head. "I'm going to kill someone for this…" He ran back to Reiko, picked her up by the waist, picked up his cross, and dashed down the hallway. _I can't believe I'm running away from a potential massacre. This is a first._

Crimson didn't stop running until he arrived at Ryuichi's new office. He burst in, shut the door behind him, and locked it. The room was fairly small and only contained three full bookcases, one desk with a computer on top of it, another desk with a whole bunch of drawers and compartments and a chair at each desk.

Ryuichi, who had been writing a letter (most likely to another prince), looked up in shock. "What are you _doing_?" Ryuichi scowled and stood up.

"Sit down, Sakuma." Crimson fluttered the fingers on his free hand and a small orange couch appeared in the middle of the room. He threw Reiko down on top of it. "There. It gives your office a nice homey touch, doesn't it?"

"Crimson, what is the meaning of this? Reiko is supposed to be-" Ryuichi broke off as he realized what happened. "Are you insane? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?" Reiko stood up slowly, got off the couch, and made her way across the room, her eyes concentrated on Crimson.

"You're the one who'll get in trouble for your dishonesty. You went along with the old man's plot. Well… I wasn't having any of that." Crimson smirked at Ryuichi's angry face. "Aw… I thought you'd be happy. And here you thought I was a pathological liar. The truth shall set me-"

Crimson froze in mid-sentence. Ryuichi nearly passed out and cracked his head open. Reiko was… hugging Crimson? Yes, it _**was**_ true. She had wrapped her arms tightly around Crimson's waist and had buried her face into his chest.

_**OMIGOD. OMIGOD. OMIGOD.**_ Crimson panicked. _What am I supposed to do?_ He hurriedly glanced over at Ryuichi for assistance, but the prince was still in shock. _He's practically comatose. Useless piece of… Okay, okay. Back to the matter at hand. Geez, she's still holding on… _He slowly glanced down at Reiko's silver head and then his head shot back up. _Okay, okay. I can do this. But… what am I doing exactly? Do I kick her off me? No, no… That can't be right…_

_Ah hah! This is why they have all those chick flicks in the human world! To teach us men how to handle these things! I never thought the imp's love for The Notebook would come in handy one day… _Crimson's eyes sparkled in realization. _Wow… this is gonna be hard… I have to swallow my pride and…_

Just as Reiko began to pull away from Crimson in obvious mortification, Crimson did the unthinkable. He pulled Reiko back to him and wrapped his arms around Reiko's waist. Reiko stilled for a moment, but then relaxed in his arms.

_This is painful…_ Crimson inwardly sighed. _No wonder all those men cry in the movies. I always thought they were weak fags. I know now... It hurts so much to express emotion. I can't believe I'm doing this…_

"C-C-Crimson?" Ryuichi was released from his dazed stupor. _OMIGOD. OMIGOD. OMIGOD. He's actually embracing her? Does this mean that… Wow… this is certainly an unexpected turn of events…_

Reiko gently pulled away from Crimson, but just to look up at his face. Blushing slightly, she lifted her hand to cup Crimson's cheek. "Thank you for saving me." She whispered quietly.

_Oh no… I didn't know you had to speak, too? What am I supposed to say… Uhhhhhhhhhhh…_ Crimson's mind was drawing a blank. "I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to say." Crimson frowned in confusion. "I don't really understand all of this. These… feelings or whatever." _I suppose being honest can't hurt._

"I understand." Reiko smiled gently and Crimson slowly released her.

"Umm… Crimson? Reiko? Are the two of you finished?" Ryuichi let out a long sigh. _This makes things even more difficult. Shuichi's in love with the devil's son and Crimson is showing his sensitivity for the first time to Nuri's daughter. Can my life get any worse? And why can't I handpick who they care for…_ "Listen, Reiko… We have to have a long talk. Sakuya is _not_ going to be happy about this."

"About what?" Reiko cocked her head to one side. "We all know he doesn't care for me like that."

"You can love more than one demon at the same time." Ryuichi shrugged, running his fingers through his hair. "I just hope this isn't the case."

"As if I'd let that negligent fool have her." Crimson uttered before he could stop himself. _Oh great… Now I have something to say… I suppose all these feelings are apart of my instincts or something…_

Reiko turned back to Crimson, placing her delicate hands on his shoulders. "Playing the jealous boyfriend already, Crimson?" She giggled lightly and shook her head, pretending to condemn his behavior.

Crimson froze and not-so-nicely removed Reiko's hands, glaring at her. "What's wrong?" Reiko barely had a chance to finish her question when Crimson vanished into thin air, leaving her alone with Ryuichi.

Crimson actually hadn't moved that far at all. He was just on the other side of the door of Ryuichi's office. _What was I thinking? Ugh… I can't believe I hugged her! I'm glad she mentioned the word 'boyfriend'. I definitely needed a reality check…_ Crimson shuddered, looking down at his hands. _I can't believe I touched her like that… If she wants all that tender-loving-care crap… She can get it from Shuichi._

"You probably embarrassed him. Crimson isn't used to feeling this way about anyone, except maybe Shuichi." Crimson heard Ryuichi's voice from inside the room. Crimson knelt down and placed his ear closer to the wall. "And plus… the only time Crimson makes a joke is when he's about to kill someone. So hold off on the funny stuff, alright?"

"Umm… alright." Reiko let out a sigh. Crimson could tell that she was sitting or lying down on the couch, from the direction of her voice. "I just don't understand all of this. Is this even right? I mean… Crimson is more than half my age. Even in the human world, this kind of thing is condemned."

"If Crimson can find someone to help him control his bloodlust, I don't care how old they are. And if that someone is you, Reiko …you'd better get started." Ryuichi was frowning, Crimson was sure of it. "Because in order to help him, you have to understand him first."

Crimson couldn't take it anymore. _Who does he think he is? I'm not some doll to be passed around! Giving me away like a father gives away a bride? No, no, no! I don't need anyone! Especially that wench!_ He stared down at the cross that was still in his hand. _She doesn't to bother with me anyway. I'm too much to put up with._

Crimson sat with his back against the wall and his right knee was upright. His right arm was on top of his right knee, with his hand and the cross contained in it dangling over the ground. His left leg was flat on the ground, with his left heel right behind his right heel. His left arm from his elbow to his fingertips was resting on his left thigh.

And this was the position Reiko found him in once she burst from Ryuichi's office. They stared into each other's eyes for an eternity. "Crimson?" Reiko inquired. "Are you-" She broke off as in one swift motion, Crimson put on his cross and retreated back inside it, leaving a sleeping Shuichi on the floor.

_**(TWO WEEKS LATER)**_

Shuichi took a deep breath. Today was the day. The day of his trial. _I wonder if this is going to be anything like Court TV. Do I have to swear on a Bible? And who's my lawyer? Or… do I not get one because I'm a half-demon?_ Shuichi was lying down on his bed, pondering his particular situation. _And I wonder why Crimson's been so moody lately. No one's telling me anything! _

Shuichi sat up, hearing someone knock on his door. He bounced on over to his door, unlocked it, and threw it open. There stood Yuki. Shuichi's mouth dropped open. Yuki walked in and slammed the door behind them, immediately kissing the pink-haired boy.

Shuichi kissed back with such delight and enthusiasm, it hit Yuki like a wave. _Why am I doing this?_ Yuki thought as his tongue lazily probed Shuichi's mouth. _He's nothing like me. He's annoying. He's a brat. He's loud. He's a crybaby. He's vulnerable. And yet… and yet it doesn't bother me. Why do I keep doing this?_

Yuki abruptly broke the kiss, frowning. Shuichi pouted and sat down on his bed. "What's wrong, Yuki? Did I do something wrong?" He gazed up at Yuki, who didn't even seem to notice he was there.

"This foolishness has gone on long enough." Yuki said simply, turning away from Shuichi. Shuichi had a confused look on his face, but he made a tiny whimper. "Your trial is starting soon. I only came to inform you of your attorney."

"Then why did you kiss me?" Shuichi jumped off the bed and ran in front of Yuki. "Yuki… please tell me what's wrong." He reached out a hand to touch Yuki's face, but Yuki smacked it away. Shuichi held his hand and crumpled to the floor.

_My hand doesn't hurt at all. It's my heart that is aching. Why… why all of sudden… Has Yuki been jinxed or something?_ Shuichi sat on the ground, thinking hard, oblivious to the fact that Yuki was standing nearby him, looking just as contemplative.

"Forget it." Shuichi stood up, shaking his head. _This can't distract me. I have a trial to go to. I have to be at my best. I won't be incriminated or intimidated! What would Crimson say? _"Leave." He spat out, trying his best to imitate Crimson. It must've worked, because Yuki froze at the tone of his voice. Then he left.

Shuichi groaned and flopped down on his bed. Then a brown blur rushed into his room. "Ayaka? What are you doing here?" Shuichi pointed at Ayaka who was most likely going to proclaim her everlasting odium for Shuichi. She said nothing, but grabbed onto his outstretched fingers and closed her eyes.

Shuichi saw that the floor and the ceiling were getting _way_ too close together. He slowly turned his head and saw that the walls were contracting as well. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. Shuichi turned to Ayaka anxiously, but to his amazement, she seemed to be completely calm.

"_Trust me."_ Shuichi had no idea where that voice came from, but he thought it was safe to assume that it was Ayaka's voice.

_Trust her? She hates me… But why would she come to my room out of the blue? Maybe… maybe something's wrong with Hiro! Come to think of it… I haven't seen much of him lately… I'm coming HIROOOOOOOOOO!_ Shuichi scrunched his eyes shut. _Wherever you take me… I'll go Ayaka…_

"_Thank you."_ It was Ayaka's voice again. Shuichi smiled as he felt the walls, the ceiling, and the floor closing in on him. Good thing he wasn't claustrophobic. But it didn't hurt. Just like when Yuki smacked away his hand. No pain at all.

Just when Shuichi thought he couldn't breathe, the pressure reduced rapidly. He opened his eyes and to his complete shock… he was in a courtroom! And it was mostly filled with conversing demons, who didn't seem to notice their arrival.

The room was rather large and contained a lot of furniture, which was all made out of cherrywood. The floor had light brown and red designs all over it. The walls were the color of cherrywood and the ceiling had humongous stained glass picture of a red, and brown dragon surrounded by pink, orange, blue, purple, and yellow flowers.

Shuichi and Ayaka were standing in the back of the room. Big, wide, arched, open doors made of cherrywood were behind them. There were numerous pews on the left and right sides of the room. To the front of the room were two long desks, one in front of each pew. About five feet away from the desks was a towering judge's bench, with a witnesses' chair attached its left side.

"Listen up, Shuichi." Ayaka turned to Shuichi with a frown on her face. "This is how it's going to be. I'm your lawyer. And I've never lost a case yet. So don't you dare ruin this for me. This is going to be my hardest case, because I've never defended a half-demon before, but I've never backed down from a challenge before.

"This isn't your commonplace courtroom, like those ones you see on television. These are the rules: In this courtroom, no one is permitted to tell a lie. It doesn't matter if you're the judge, the prosecutor, or you're just sitting down watching the trial. If you break this rule in any way, your body will turn blue and you'll be thrown out of the courtroom.

"Second rule: Spells can be used in order to convict or vindicate someone. Offensive spells are _not_ allowed. If your prosecutor upsets you, I don't want to see _any_ H20 coming out of your body. Also, in order to use spells, both the lawyer and the witness must obtain consent from the judge. The judge may use an offensive spell on anyone in the room if he/she feels the court is getting out of control.

"And the third and final rule: No bias is tolerated in this courtroom. This is the rule I want you to pay the most attention to, Shuichi. If you can prove either the prosecutor or the judge is biased, the case will be thrown out. Do you know what 'double jeopardy' is? That terms means that you cannot be put on trial for the same crime twice. Double jeopardy is our weapon. And because you are a half-demon, there's bound to be plenty of prejudice in this courtroom. We will win." Ayaka finished simply and Shuichi's jaw dropped open mild surprise.

"So… basically all I have to do is tell the truth about someone being prejudiced without using an offensive spell to do it?" Shuichi blinked slowly. Ayaka smirked, nodding slightly. "Then what the heck was that whole tirade for? And why are you being nice to me?"

"Procedure, Shuichi. You have to know the policy. And I'm not being nice. I'm doing my job. Being nice would be being biased." Ayaka shook her head. Shuichi shook his head, but smiled slightly. "Ready?" Shuichi took a deep breath, gulped, and nodded his head.

Ayaka began stalking down the aisle in between the two pews, her long brown hair swaying with each step. As her high heels clicked against the floor, the talking ceased. Shuichi quickly followed her, sweating profusely. _I can do this… I can do this… I must be brave… I must be brave..._

Ayaka sat down behind the desk on the right side. As Shuichi joined her, he noticed that he knew most of the demons sitting behind him. He spotted Tatsuha and Ryuichi sitting next to each other. He wanted to wave at them, but Ayaka pinched his leg and he turned around rapidly.

"All rise." A loud voice rang through the courtroom, addressing the gallery. Shuichi turned to look at the owner of the voice. It was nobody he knew Everyone stood up. "The honorable Judge Ukai presiding."

_Ukai? Oh no… Don't tell me… Saki's dad is the judge?_ Shuichi gulped as Tetsuya Ukai himself materialized out of nowhere. He looked exactly the same as Shuichi had remembered him. He had short, chunky white hair and forest green eyes, which seemed to contain as much emotion as a fan. He was wearing a large, flowing black robe and thick-rimmed glasses that made him seem even more ancient than he actually was. Judge Ukai sat down on his bench and folded his hands.

"You may be seated." The voice boomed out again. Everyone sat down. Shuichi stared up at Judge Ukai in wonder. _I never knew he was a judge…_

"Will the defendant please rise?" Judge Ukai stated, glaring down at Shuichi glanced at Ayaka rapidly and then stood up. "You are being tried for one count of second-degree murder and one count for the use of a Type-Zero Enchantment. How do you plead?" Ayaka slowly shook her head at Shuichi, who took this as a cue.

"Not guilty." Shuichi was amazed at how loud his voice was. Then he realized that a Voice Projection Spell had been cast. So once someone spoke, their voice would be propelled about the room.

"You may be seated." Judge Ukai commanded and Shuichi plopped back down in his seat. Shuichi happened to glance over at the opposing side of the room. And who was his prosecutor? Ashy blonde hair, sophisticated outfit, cold green eyes.

_Tohma? How the heck is he not biased? Wow… this should be easy. All I have to do is prove that Tohma doesn't like me…_ Shuichi smiled to himself. _I wonder if Yuki is sitting behind the prosecution side because he doesn't like me anymore… I wish he liked me more than he likes Tohma… I sure could use your support now, Yuki. Why… why now of all times would you abandon me?_ _I miss-_ Shuichi broke off as Judge Ukai called Tohma and Ayaka up to his bench.

**Next up... Shuichi tries his hardest to prove that Tohma's biased... but without Yuki's support... This might be a job for ((du du dudu)) Crimson! Review!**


	14. Intermission 00: Everything For You

**Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey. Sorry this update wasn't soon at all, but I was punished and upset and life sucked and now my Mommy loves me again so I can update. Ne ways... I made this intermission because I felt like I was leaving Ryu and Tats out, which isn't very fair. I have way too many ideas in my head and never enough time to type them all. So this is a little break from the craziness of life.**

**Plus, happy endings ALWAYS rule. **

**By the way, disclaimer: I do not own Buffy: the Vampire Slayer. ((No I'm not joking. you'll see why later)) Oh and the flashbacks are going to be in bold because I feel like it lol. Please bear with me. And besides, these are special flashbacks that come up every thirteen chapters. They deserve bold, conflabbit!**

**To GreyGranian**- Love that you like my fic lol. Enjoy this treat.

**To GuardianHisoka**- Like I said up the page, not exactly soon... well not soon at all. It's been like what, a month. God, I'm horrible. But... I cannot be held accountable! I cannot! ((Then again, it was my fault I got punished. Or maybe that's just in my Mom's world...))

**To Night-Owl123**- Nya-nyah! No trial in this chappie lmao. Sorry bout the teasing. I guess this is kind of a teaser chapter. Away from reality...

**To Aacire**- Yuki has complexities. Besides, once we get back to the trial, he will redeem himself. Once again this is a teaser lol. But if you like ice cream, you'll like this chapter.

**To Julie C- **This chapter isn't too shocking, but the next one packs quite a wallop.

**To Xunxin Kohaku**- To explain Yuki... I'll give you a quote from Buffy ((I'm doing a lot of this lately... I feel like a Buffy fanatic...))"You do have a superiority complex. And you've got an inferiority complex about it."

**To tammy-love**- lol you have a lot of questions and because I like to stay mysterious... I'm only answering one. Yes, Crimson will come out and explain why he did what he did.

**To Fenikkuse Koi**- Wow, you're really enthusiastic lol. I'm glad that you love my story and all. Sudden bursts of happiness are allowed. I LOVE GUMMY BEARS! Yes, I am insane.

**To Eien-Kisaki**- Glad you like my story, but umm... if you haven't read the manga or finished the anime yet, then you really can't say that Tohma is nice. Personally, I think Tohma is kick-ass, but I don't he fits "nice". I think that would mess up his image. And Crimson has to be paired with someone. It all adds up to the angst. And we like angst, don't we?

**To cryearthstearsfalltou**- It's a bird... it's a plane... IT'S YUUUUUUUUUUUUU! Lol

**To AngelOfPastPresentAndFuture**- Yes... Crimson is cool and hot. Can't forget hot. Sorry I took so long.

**To unhappy wolfgirl**- Because I feared your wrath, I had to update lol.

**Ok... I never really do dedications... but I dedicate this chappie to all the lovers out there who've been through hell and back ((in this case, literally)) and are still willing to give it a shot. My heart truly goes out to you lucky ones. Because to me, love is the most important thing in the universe.**

**_INTERMISSION 00:_**

**_EVERYTHING FOR YOU_**

**((Ryuichi and Tatsuha))**

* * *

Ryuichi Sakuma did not feel princely at all. On the contrary, he felt absolutely horrid. Shuichi's trial was going to take place a week from now and because he was being accused of such a high offense, he was not authorized to see him. Because the prince was going to testify for Shuichi. It seemed like everyone was… from Reiko to Saki to Judy, everyone was ready to pitch in and help Shuichi.

But… Ryuichi wasn't worried about Shuichi. He was worried about himself. He was going to take the biggest chance of his life: He was going to approach Tatsuha. After not seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, or tasting his younger lover for a decade… Ryuichi was broken. But then… there was that malicious misgiving in the back of his head.

Ryuichi was sitting at his desk, trying to write a letter to witch that was complaining about gargoyles eating her enchanted mushrooms. But at the moment, he simply didn't care. He was tired of caring about everyone else but himself. He was especially tired of cleaning up after his father's mess. And now… because his father had escaped… Ryuichi had basically been forced to take on his father's duties. Not the best Welcome Back gift… but it could've been worse.

Finally, after writing the words "I suggest a forceful, but latent barrier to keep the gargoyles…" Ryuichi couldn't write anymore. He thrust his pen down onto the floor and buried his head in his hands.

_Love… no matter how strong… cannot overcome evil without being unscathed._ _I hate this… he won't want me back anyway. He told me that he loved me… both sides of me. Now that one of them is gone… (The cuter one, I might add), he won't want me anymore._ Ryuichi smiled bitterly. _I'm only half the man he loved. His beloved Ryu-chan and Kumagorou are gone forever… And it's all my fault… I truly am a monster, more so than Crimson will ever be…_

_What made me so better than my childlike counterpart? What gave me the right to seal him away forever? Because I believed he'd get in the way? Because I believed he wasn't strong enough to face the hardships of the Half-Demon Realm? Tatsuha will never forgive me for my mistake. And… and I will never forgive myself._

_I had always been the dominant counterpart. Ryu only came out when I allowed it. But because I was so antisocial… Ryu spent more time on the outside than I did. He sure had charisma. Ah… horrific nostalgia. _

_My predicament was quite different than Shuichi's. I had been born with a childlike personality concealed inside of me. Shuichi… was always Shuichi. Until one day when he was a toddler… Crimson just showed up out of nowhere and assaulted every demon at Hiroshi's birthday party…_

_I gave up hope. I thought Shuichi and I would always be trapped in the Half-Demon Realm. I thought that Ryu wasn't strong enough. But Crimson… he knew. He told me that Shuichi was a part of him. He told me that since he would have to go through Hell, Shuichi would have to go through Hell. He knew it would make them both stronger. Crimson… he was right and I was wrong. I chickened out and destroyed a pure life. Ryu would've never done that to me. And I can't undo what I did. _

Ryuichi ran his fingers through his hair pensively. _It'll be dark soon. I remember… the day I announced it to the entire realm…_ He smiled sadly, thinking back to that bright time, when they were both somewhat carefree…

**_

* * *

_**

**_(Begin Flashback) _**

**Ryuichi was sitting on a dingy couch in a small, dimly lit room, drinking a huge glass of water. A giant pink rabbit was seated next to him. Two beings, a demon and a human waltzed in. The demon had pale blonde hair and pleased green eyes. The female had long purple hair and a dazzling, contagious smile. All three were dressed to perform.**

**"Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee… Noriko-chan?" Ryuichi stood up quickly, gripping his bunny. "Kumagorou wants to know when our break is over! Kuma-chan wants to carry out the Extra-Special Plan!"**

**"That's why we came, Ryuichi-san." The blonde shook his head slightly. "Our break ends in five minutes."**

**"Oooooooooooooh." Ryuichi seemed to be even happier, if that was possible. "Let's go, Tohma-chan!" Ryuichi thrust Kumagorou into Tohma's hands and linked arms with both Tohma and Noriko. **

**"Ryu-chan? Why don't we drop Kuma-chan off somewhere?" Noriko asked carefully, inwardly sighing.** This night has been so exhausting…

"**No, no, no! Kuma-chan has to be with Ryu-chan." Ryuichi shook his head persistently. "It's part of our Extra-Special Plan!"**

"**I'm sure it is, Ryuichi-san." Tohma smiled kindly and led the others to a staircase. They began to climb up together. "Now, let's go finish this. One last song and we're free to go." **I hate how our parents exploit us… Nittle Grasper was only formed to create supporters… Our fathers believed that if other demons liked us, they would listen to our parents. Our devoted fans… will be turned into a ferocious demonic army soon enough… When will this end?

I know that Ryuichi can't stand not seeing Tatsuha as much as he used to… But poor Noriko… she's only a human. It's not as if she can back out of this any second. She's stuck here as well. And she didn't even have a choice. But we'll survive. We have to. Because… Nittle Grasper is a family. And we'll never be broken. But I must say… this "Extra-Special Plan" of Ryuichi's is beginning to intrigue me. He's been talking about it for days… I haven't seen him this determined since he confessed his love for Tatsuha while back. Was it twenty years? Or thirty? I can't seem to remember…

**Tohma, Ryuichi, and Noriko took their places on the stage. The crowd cheered fanatically, screaming and jumping around in sheer ecstasy. Ryuichi began singing, spreading his angelic voice throughout the room. Tohma and Noriko responded by playing their pianos, and it seemed as if each was trying to outdo the other. Their music was perfect and nothing could tear them apart. Or so they thought. **

**Then… Ryuichi abruptly stopped singing. Noriko almost fell over in shock, but Tohma just stood there, waiting for an explanation. "Umm… Tatsuha? Are you listening? Kumagorou and I have something to tell everyone… This is the last time I will be performing for Nittle Grasper." He broke off as he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and began reading from it. "My singing career as of now is over…" Ryuichi continued reading, even as all of his diehard fans began screeching in agony. He didn't notice the look on Tatsuha's face either…**

**_(End Flashback)_**

**

* * *

**

Ryuichi sighed loudly and stood up so angrily that his chair fell on the ground. "I'm tired of this… I'm going to see him." And with that, Ryuichi stormed out of his office and began to search for Tatsuha's room...

Tatsuha was lying down on his bed, recalling that exact same night. He smiled resentfully. He was supposed to be preparing his testimony. He was going to help Shuichi get acquitted. But instead, he found himself thinking about Ryuichi. That special night… when Ryuichi announced it to the world. The best night of his entire life…

_Life was so simple back then… Ryuichi… _He stared up at the ceiling, scorning himself for his mistake._ I was so stupid… Yuki and I left Shuichi all alone… We should have waited until you came to get Shuichi. How stupid was I? And why the hell didn't I want to be there when Ryuichi came to get him? Did we have a fight or something? I can't even remember…_

_All I know… is that if I hadn't left Shuichi alone… none of this would've happened. Ryuichi and Shuichi would have returned to the Demon Realm. Shuichi would have grown up normally… somewhat. But I had to mess everything up. Even to this day… Shuichi is still suffering because of my mistake. I can't help but blame myself… It is my fault… I'm so sorry, Shuichi…_

Tatsuha let out a choked sob and tears fell from his eyes. _I remember now… I did have a fight with Ryuichi the day before Seki was killed. And I because I didn't want to see Ryuichi… I made sure that I left before he came… He probably blames me for everything. It's my fault he had to live in the Half-Demon Realm with Shuichi. It's my fault they both had to suffer… How could I have done that? What's wrong with me? He hates me now… He can't even bear to look at me…_

Tatsuha sat up in bed and hugged his knees to his chest. _Ryuichi told me that I was his world. That he'd give up anything and everything for me. But I let a petty fight come in between us. I abandoned Shuichi and Ryuichi… All this time I spent alone… I tried to shake it off like Aniki would've done. He'd just sleep with a whole bunch of women and repress all of his thoughts. But I couldn't just act like I'd never see Ryuichi or that sweet pink-haired kid again. I actually missed Shuichi. He reminded me so much of Ryuichi. And for that, I was drawn to him._

_That short amount of time I spent with Shuichi, I grew to love him. He was like the son I always wanted. Imagine, all this in three days… Aniki liked him, too; I could tell. But I let him down. I let them both down. And… Ryuichi is broken inside. I'm not trying to sound conceited or vain, but it's because I wasn't there with him._

_We were always together, doing the most idiotic things. Pranks, antics, streaking… you name it-we did it. But that isn't the point. Ryuichi and Tatsuha. Two peas in a pod, duet, pair, twosome… Whenever I had to go back to Hell, Ryuichi always begged to go with me. And because Ryuichi was always close with my father, he usually permitted Ryuichi to accompany me._

_To put it frankly, Ryuichi needed me. Again, I don't want to sound smug. I'm just telling the truth. Ryuichi was the dependent one in our relationship. He always needed to be held, kissed, praised… he always needed assurance. And I was constantly there to deliver it. Ryuichi wasn't narcissistic; he was insecure. That's the only secret Ryuichi has. It was his innermost, darkest secret. His weakness. _

Tatsuha stared up at his ceiling in misery. "I can't take much more of this." He roughly ran his fingers through his short dark locks, nearly pulling all his hair out in the process. He plopped down on his stomach, then rolled over onto his back, and then twisted restlessly so that he was back on his stomach.

"I remember that day…" Tatsuha smiled in nostalgic bliss. "Ryuichi had been talking about his 'Extra-Special Plan' for days…"

**_

* * *

_**

**_(Flashback) _**

**Tatsuha stood there in shock. **Did I hear him right? Ryuichi isn't going to sing anymore? But why? And why did he mention me? He was always too afraid to tell anyone… Not that I wanted to keep it a secret… Oh well. I guess it was because his reputation was at stake. But still… Maybe I should be listening to him… **Tatsuha sighed, ran his fingers through his silky hair and stared up at his hero, his clandestine lover, his everything. **

"**I love all of you, each and every one of my devoted fans. And I love singing. I love the feel of distributing my voice to all of you. I love being an inspiration to dreaming demons everywhere. And I love Tohma and Noriko, too. But… I love someone even more than all of that. And that demon… is Tatsuha." Ryuichi paused and stared out at the crowd. He spotted Tatsuha in the middle of the crowd, ogling the singer as if he was a three-headed, multicolored zebra. **

"**Tatsuha… could you please come up here?" Ryuichi called out softly and everyone in the crowd began looking for this "Tatsuha".**

"**Ryuichi-san…" Tohma let out a sigh and turned to the singer. Tatsuha slowly made his way to the front of the stage, ignoring the angry cries of hatred and blame that were being flung upon him.**

**Ryuichi studied Tatsuha below him. **I picked out his outfit…** Ryuichi smiled fondly at the younger demon. Tatsuha was wearing a white cotton vest that reached his hips. Underneath, he wore a crimson red sleeveless shirt, which could be seen poking out from the bottom of the vest. The hems of the bright red shirt at the bottom were torn and ripped giving it a worn out look. He had a pair of baggy black UFO pants with buckles in various places. And to finish off the outfit a pair of red Chuck Taylors adorned his feet.**

"**Do you know what you're doing?" Tatsuha stomped onto the stage. "What are you-" Tatsuha broke off as Ryuichi gazed at him. **Something's different…

**There was such intensity and profundity in his gaze that both Tohma and Tatsuha knew that for once, the cold Ryuichi and the cute Ryu-chan were working in unison on this one. **

"**This…" Ryuichi draped an arm around Tatsuha and drew him near. "This is Tatsuha. He's the third child of Lord Lucifer, as most of you probably know. He is my everything. I… I love him more than anything else here. I'm tired… I'm tired of being exploited and manipulated by my father. I'm tired of not seeing Tatsuha. I feel like… like I'm a prisoner in my own world. **

"**Maybe you'll never forgive me for what I've done… but I can't just recant my statements and move on. I… I will never sing again. If singing means that I can't be with Tatsuha… then I will do away with it. Because he means too much to me.**

"**I'm sorry. I really am. I know that I've greatly disappointed all of you. But one day, when all your disgust for me has vanished, you'll understand why I did it. Because to me, Tatsuha equals love. And I'd do anything to keep that love." Ryuichi broke off as Tatsuha began to cry. He hugged the younger demon and kissed him fiercely. Tatsuha was the first to break the kiss, stepping away from Ryuichi.**

"**Why? I, I don't…" Tatsuha choked out. **He's doing all this for me… He just gave up singing for me and I can't even thank him… Ryuichi… I…

"**I'm tired of hiding it, Tatsuha." Ryuichi whispered. "This is Tatsuha and he's my boyfriend and hopefully I'm going to marry him one day!" Ryuichi screamed out and jumped right in Tatsuha's arms. Despite the impression of extreme sadness in the air, the fans (mostly females) began screaming, but not in anger. In happiness. They were happy for Ryuichi.**

"**Ryuichi…" Tatsuha kissed the singer's forehead. "You've made me the happiest demon alive. I'll never forget this night. You've made the ultimate sacrifice for me, for us. I love you, Ryuichi."**

"**Of course you'll never forget it, silly goose! I love you, too!" Ryuichi squealed and stole another passionate kiss from Tatsuha. Tatsuha stole a look at the ground, where he saw Ryuichi's microphone, paper, and Kumagorou… never to be picked up again. Tohma shook his head and smiled grimly. He knew what the price of Ryuichi's decision would be.**

"**Noriko." Tohma turned to the female, who was still slightly in shock. "This crowd is the perfect distraction. Go, go and escape to the human realm. You must."**

"**Noriko-chan!" Ryuichi shouted out. "Take Kumagorou!" Tatsuha set Ryuichi on the ground, but kept his hands around the singer's waist.**

"**W-what?" Noriko shouted back, stomping over to Ryuichi. "Have you gone completely insane?" All the same, she picked up the giant pink bunny.**

"**Take care of him. I know I'll see you again one day." Ryuichi said seriously. Noriko smiled tearfully and grabbed Ryuichi in a tight hug. "I'll miss you!"**

"**I love you, Ryu-chan. You'd better take care of him, Tatsuha." Noriko tried to look stern, but it didn't work. She broke down in sobs again. Tohma slowly embraced her and stared up at Ryuichi fondly.**

"**I know I can trust you, Tatsuha." Tohma said simply and Noriko drew away from him slowly, staring into his green eyes. Without thinking, Noriko kissed him forcefully and quickly. **

**Tatsuha and Ryuichi were in shock. As Noriko broke the kiss and stared at Tohma, she could see a faint blush on his cheeks. Ryuichi burst out laughing and Tatsuha smirked. Tohma blinked and suddenly found Kumagorou very appealing.**

"**Uh… w-we'll be going now." Tohma said hesitantly. This was the one and only time anyone had ever seen Tohma lose his cool. He grabbed Noriko by the hand and they ran away so fast, you'd think a cheetah was chasing them.**

"**Well. That was interesting." Tatsuha turned to Ryuichi with a raised eyebrow. The crowd began to depart, bringing most of the noise with them. It seemed to take forever, but finally, Tatsuha and Ryuichi were alone in the huge arena. They sat down together on the stage, with Ryuichi on Tatsuha's lap. **

**Tatsuha was sitting on the edge on the stage, rocking his legs back and forth in the air. Ryuichi was sitting sideways across Tatsuha's lap, holding onto his neck lightly. Ryuichi rested his head against his lover's chest.**

"**Yeah. I never knew that Noriko liked Tohma…" Ryuichi frowned thoughtfully. "Wow… I guess he'll be 'disappearing' along with her, then." **

"**Ryuichi… what you did was amazing." Tatsuha squeezed the singer tightly. "This was… I mean… I can't… I don't know…"**

"**You don't have to do anything, Tats." Ryuichi leaned forward and licked Tatsuha's nose. Tatsuha blushed and looked away.**

"**You know what happens when you use that nickname." Tatsuha muttered.**

"**Well then!" Ryuichi stood up playfully, and put his hands on his hips. "I suppose we'd better get started then. Because now we have all the time in the world!" And with that, Ryuichi pounced onto Tatsuha and locked their lips in a fiery kiss…**

**_(End Flashback) _**

**_

* * *

_**

Tatsuha grinned widely, still trapped in that distant dream. _Those were the days…_ He stood up on his bed suddenly. "And I know that Ryuichi hasn't forgotten them either! No matter what mistakes I made in the past… I know that Ryu still loves me. No matter what!" And with that, Tatsuha ran out of his room.

And collided with Ryuichi. Both men were on the ground, Tatsuha on top of Ryuichi. "Ow…" Tatsuha felt slightly dizzy. Then he realized who he was on top of. _OMIGOD!_ He got up quickly, blushing.

Ryuichi absentmindedly stared up at the ceiling, which was swirling around him. He didn't even get up off the ground. "Ryuichi, are you okay?" Tatsuha knelt down next to Ryuichi's head and leaned in close.

_Ryuichi… That's my name, isn't it? But who's calling me? _Ryuichi smiled distantly at the unknown figure above him. _Such a nice, sexy voice. And a nice body, too. Kind of stupid, though… He was on top of me, wasn't he? I'd like him get back in that position. Yes, yes, I would._ "Would you ravage me?" Ryuichi spoke out suddenly. Not that he knew who he was speaking to. He just wanted sex. Right now.

_OMIGOD! I think I cracked his head open… Ryuichi NEVER says anything like that. What have I done? I have to get him back inside before… _Tatsuha broke off as Ryuichi sat up suddenly and kissed him, hard. His brain slowly melted into grease. _Oh yes, oh yes. We're definitely going back to my room._

Tatsuha picked Ryuichi up and carried him back inside him room. He threw the former singer onto his bed and locked his door. Tatsuha giggled mischievously, eyeballing the hot demon on his bed.

_What should I do to him first? Ooh… Where to start? Should I go with the costumes?_ Tatsuha was not only drooling, but conspiring as well. He made his was slowly over to his bed, where Ryuichi was patiently waiting for him. _No, no, much too soon for that. I think I can conjure up some hot fudge… or some cold ice cream… Or both…_

"Did you honestly think it'd be that easy?" Ryuichi spat out suddenly, his façade long gone. "That I'd just kiss you and everything would be okay?" Tatsuha froze in his tracks. "You're a fool." Ryuichi gracefully leapt off Tatsuha's bed.

"You, you tricked me!" Was all Tatsuha could say. "Why would you hurt me like that? What is _wrong_ with you?" Before Tatsuha knew it, he was hitting Ryuichi. Smacking him, kicking him, punching him.

Ryuichi kneed Tatsuha right in the stomach and ended that. He picked the smaller demon up and threw him on the bed. "I thought about this a lot while I was trying to find your room. A lot." He walked over to the door and leaned against it.

**((A/N: I took this piece from a Buffy: The Vampire Slayer episode called "Entropy", where there's a makeup scene at the end between Willow and Tara. Personally, I love it and I decided to use it for Ryuichi and Tatsuha. I think it fits them perfectly. Considering both couples are gay…))**

"Ryuichi?" Tatsuha asked, cocking his head to one side.

"You can't ever…" Ryuichi sighed and held his forehead. "Put them back the way they were."

"Are you okay?" Tatsuha was frowning slightly now.

"I'm sorry it's just…" Ryuichi sighed deeply. "You know, it takes time." He walked closer to Tatsuha's bed. "You can't just… have coffee and expect-"

"I know." Tatsuha said guiltily.

"There's just so much to work through. Trust has to be built again, on both sides…" Ryuichi paused at Tatsuha's saddened face. "You have to learn if… if we're even the same people we were, if you can fit in each other's lives." Tatsuha continued to gazed at Ryuichi dejectedly. "It's a long… important process, and… can we just skip it? Can-can you just be kissing me now?"

**((A/N: Ok, no more Buffy.))**

Tatsuha stood up in shock at Ryuichi's hopeful look. He ran over to Ryuichi and began kissing him eagerly. Ryuichi was in his arms again. Tatsuha would never let go of his Ryuichi again. Never.

Neither demon realized that they were in Tatsuha's bed until Ryuichi felt something soft under him. "My, my. Someone works quickly." Ryuichi stared up at Tatsuha longingly, who was straddling him.

Tatsuha's eyes were gleaming with lust. A gallon of strawberry ice cream appeared in his left hand and a cup of hot fudge in the other. "Clothes. Off. Now." Tatsuha licked his lips hungrily. "You're all mine tonight."

"Should I be scared?" Ryuichi smirked mockingly as he shrugged off his shirt, revealing his adequately muscled chest and abdomen. With the force of a Behemoth, Tatsuha tore off the lid of the ice cream.

"Oh yes. You should be scared." Tatsuha was quivering with delight. "Tee hee hee." To put it frankly, some things _can_ escape soundproof walls. No one in the manor really got a good sleep that night.

**If there were any mistakes, I'm sorry. But correct me if you see any. R&R Please!**


	15. Chapter 13 Part 1: Angel of Vanity

**Sorry I haven't written in such a long, long time. It took great motivation for me to start up Prediction again. Because of school starting and my Mom once again obsessing about my grades. ((Even though I have friggin straight A's)) prevented me from writing. I barely had enough free time for me. ((Makes me exercise b/c she thinks I'm overweight, even though I'm NOT)). **

**But my friend Delia's b-day just passed and she... guilted me into making this chapter her sixteenth birthday present. So... here it is. And I apologize for any mistakes this might have.**

**I thank everyone for reviewing and I really do appreciate it. Hee hee, I have over one hundred reviews. lol i'ma yaoi psycho! but i kick ass because of my insanity.**

**Oh and I'm sorry if you think this chapter sucks, but considering I haven't written anything for Prediction in months, try and cut me some slack... just this once. Lol. Enjoy. And if not, I'm sure there's a better story for you to read out there. So don't waste your time bashing my story like some other reviewer who I've forgotten about until now.

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_**CHAPTER THIRTEEN ((PART 1)):**_

_**ANGEL OF VANITY**_

Did you ever feel completely alone? Like no one on the planet would care if you dropped dead in an instant? Well, Shuichi did _not_ feel that way. He felt loved. After hearing numerous beings speaking positively on his behalf in front of Judge Ukai and Tohma, Shuichi felt as if he was on top of the world. Every being he knew and loved was defending him and even some he didn't even know. Everything would be fine. He would be acquitted and then he could concentrate on finding Michael.

Of course, Shuichi was bored. He'd been sitting in the same chair for about four hours. He had occasionally turned to Ryuichi and Tatsuha for entertainment. The only time they _literally_ took their hands off each other was when one of them had to testify. And both of them had taken their turns.

Ayaka seemed somewhat apprehensive. She kept giving him small smiles throughout the trial. She was standing by her witness now. Shuichi knew that he would be one of the last beings to testify that was the way things were done here. Shuichi almost closed his eyes and then opened them again. Some genetic specialist was speaking earnestly now. Maybe he should've been paying attention… Maybe he was too busy staring at Yuki, who was sitting on the prosecutor's side.

_I want to be there… Yuki…_ Shuichi almost let out a sigh. Instead of paying attention to everyone like he should have been, Shuichi had spent most of the four hours gazing at Yuki, occasionally glancing at the beings speaking for/against him.

"And so… because the DNA of a demon and a human fused, naturally, there will be some deficiencies in the half-demon produced. But… the very same instability can be found in some demons and humans." The specialist was babbling excitedly, waving his hands in the air.

"So are you saying that this _rumored_ condition found in half-demons can in fact inhabit the mind of a demon or human?" Ayaka smirked, turning around.

"Oh, yes, yes, that's true." The specialist grinned widely. "Every being has the capability to lose its sanity. It is merely a prejudiced stereotype that says half-demons are unstable. Even if this rumor is true, it wouldn't affect our world. The half-demon population is fairly small and new. These beings are no army."

"Thank you." Ayaka nodded her head and turned to Judge Ukai. "No further questions, Your Honor." Judge Ukai nodded back at her and the brunette took her seat next to Shuichi once more.

"Okay. After Tohma's questioning, he'll call one more witness and then it'll be your turn." Ayaka whispered as Tohma stood up and approached the specialist. "We're almost done."

"Sir Seag." Tohma addressed the specialist. "You said earlier that the half-demon population was fairly small and new and that 'these beings are no army', when in fact, this is not true. Half-demons date far back into ancient times, long before I was born. History has portrayed them as uncontrollable beings because they are. Half-demons have always been known for rioting, slaughtering, raping, and incinerating anything-"

"Demons and humans are known for the same things." Sir Seag cut in rudely, narrowing his eyes. The specialist was slightly unnerved, but he couldn't show it. Showing weakness in a demon court room? Not done.

"Yes, but you did not wait for me to finish." Tohma had an evil glint in his eyes. "Half-demons are always shown in a negative light because not one has contributed positively to society. They use their pasts as excuses to destroy. Plenty of demons and humans have risen up from hard pasts to become heroes or legends. When has a half-demon ever done so? There are no legends of a valiant half-demon who triumphed over evil, simply because it was always the half-demon that caused the evil in the first place. And you are telling me that there is no scientific explanation as to why this is so?"

Shuichi's eyes widened. Sir Seag seemed slightly taken aback and was stuttering for an answer. Tohma _did_ have a point. But maybe, maybe Shuichi could be that half-demon that became a hero. _I can do it! It'll be me! Wipe that look right off of Tohma's face! _Shuichi's hands became fists. _I'll be the best half-demon ever!_

"W-well…" Sir Seag gulped.

"No further questions, Your Honor." Tohma won and he knew it. He turned around and stalked back to his desk. Shuichi and Ayaka scowled. "I call Eiri to the stand." A hushed gasp sounded throughout the room.

Shuichi felt his face paling and he almost passed out. Yuki stood up and calmly walked over to the witnesses' stand. Yuki emotionlessly sat down, waiting for Tohma to make his move. Ayaka's hand slowly crept over and grasped onto Shuichi's. She squeezed it tightly underneath the table.

_This is going to be hard for both of us…_ Shuichi squeezed her hand back. _But I think this is bringing us together in a good way. Maybe now she won't hate me anymore. _He looked down at their joined hands. _I know she doesn't. I've made so many new friends in such a short amount of time. I'm really growing…_

"_Ok, ok. Nobody cares. I can't hear what Tohma's saying. Shut it!" _Crimson snapped in Shuichi's head, almost making the boy jump. _"I can't wait to verbally rip Tohma apart! Ah, it'll be wonderful…"_

"_But you can't come out! Everyone told me like fifty million times: DON'T LET CRIMSON OUT!"_ Shuichi thought back hard. _"I'll get in sooooooo much trouble!"_ Shuichi waited, but Crimson didn't respond. Which was a good thing, because Tohma was speaking:

"Eiri, is it true that you engaged in an intimate relationship with the defendant, risking ignominy and if so, why?" Tohma began pacing back and forth in front of Yuki. Shuichi gulped. This was not going to be pretty.

"There was no relationship and barely any intimacy, in my opinion, at least." Yuki answered emotionlessly. "I risked nothing in my involvement with the boy. I was merely getting to know the son of one of my associates."

_Why isn't he turning blue? Why, why, why?_ Shuichi screamed inside of his head, wanting to disappear and shatter into millions of pieces. _How can he say that? How? YOU LIAR! LIAR!_

"I see. So do you believe that the defendant feels the same way as you?" Tohma could barely hold back a grin. "Or do you think that he has become too attached to you?" Shuichi wanted to crawl under the desk and die at this point.

"I'm not a clairvoyant, Tohma." Yuki answered promptly. Tohma looked surprised at this. "If I may say so, Your Honor, my testimony is useless."

Shuichi's eyes widened and he turned to Ayaka in shock. Everyone began whispering and heads began turning. _What is he doing? And they say that half-demons are too unpredictable! Jeez…_ Shuichi shook his head and then scratched it.

"Continue, Lord Yuki." Even Judge Ukai looked interested.

"Because I became involved with the defendant prior to the trial, I might be inclined to say some things in his favor." Yuki stood up rather quickly. "I declare myself biased, therefore my testimony is null and void. I want nothing more to do with the defendant." And with that, he walked back over to the prosecutor's side, ignoring the stares and whispers.

Tohma stood in the exact same spot, sharing an implicit look with Yuki. He then turned away and faced Ayaka and Shuichi. "I call Master Shuichi Shindou to the stand!" Ayaka stated loudly and Shuichi shot up like a bullet.

Shuichi made his way over to the witnesses' stand, still slightly dazed. _I don't know whether to laugh or cry. He doesn't want me around him anymore… he won't even help me… But he was supposed to be on Tohma's side… I'm so confused… Who did he really choose? Me or Tohma? Or… maybe he doesn't want either of us._ He plopped down on the cold, hard seat, facing the entire courtroom.

Ayaka walked up to Shuichi and gave him a small smile. "Shuichi, would you care to tell us your side of the story?" The brunette faced the courtroom, waiting for Shuichi to speak:

"I fell asleep in my favorite tree not too far away from my father's residence. I woke up in a strange room wearing only shorts and I was chained to a stone wall. Lord Manchu and Taki had captured me and used a spell on me to drain my energy. Taki then raped me and Lord Manchu sliced my body with his sword many times." Shuichi gulped and continued on. "After they were both done… Lord Manchu left Taki alone with me. I could… I could barely move at this point and then I heard Crimson's voice. He wanted me to take off my cross-"

"Shuichi, please explain who Crimson is." Ayaka stated firmly, giving Shuichi a small nod. Shuichi took a deep breath and began talking once more:

"I'm not exactly sure when Crimson inhabited my body because I have amnesia. But I do know that Crimson is my exact opposite in every possible way." Shuichi paused and grasped his cross, lifting it slightly. "This cross seals him away inside of my body. Once I take it off, I go inside the cross and Crimson comes out. When Crimson puts the cross on, the reverse happens."

"This ability is very rare." Judge Ukai frowned. "And very dangerous." He knew who Crimson _really_ was and it scared him. It scared him that this half-demon didn't really know what was inside of him. Hopefully, the boy would never find out. "You are the only being with human blood that has this ability. Only two other demons have this skill."

_So… no human or half-demon could do this before me…_ Shuichi blinked, letting go of his cross. _Wow… I guess I'm really special then._

"Continue." Judge Ukai felt his chin. Is Shuichi the one? Could it be? Shuichi gave the judge an odd look, but resumed his tale:

"I managed to take my cross off, but I could not tell what Crimson was doing because I was so weak. I was told later that Crimson tortured and killed Taki using a Type-Zero Enchantment. But he only did this in my defense. I was dying there! I would have died of blood loss if Yuki hadn't found me later." Shuichi blurted out. Then he realized what he said. _Oops… shouldn't have said that…_

"Shuichi, is it true that you had no control over Crimson's actions?" Ayaka demanded sharply. Shuichi jumped at the tone of her voice. She must've been mad because of his slip. And the emotion in his voice.

"Yes, that's true. I have _no_ control over him." Shuichi nodded. "We're two different entities." _Oooh! I used a big word! Hee hee, I must sound smart…_

"So does that mean that you did not kill Taki?" Ayaka continued earnestly.

"Yes, that's true. I was in no condition to kill and I… at the time I did not know how to use Type-Zeroes." Shuichi quickly corrected himself. Almost told a lie there! Mom gave me one to use before… "I used the last of my energy to take my cross off. I did not kill Taki or use an illegal spell against him. That was Crimson's doing, not mine." Beings began murmuring around the room.

"In that case, we should be prosecuting the other one!" Someone shouted.

"Yea, yea! Kill the other!" Another demon shouted. More sounds of agreement sounded and some demons began stomping on the ground.

"SILENCE!" Judge Ukai raised his hand and huge black lightning bolt struck the floor in the middle of the courtroom, making everyone jump. "Enough. Ayaka, are you finished?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Ayaka gave Shuichi a thumbs' up and walked back to her seat. Tohma practically leapt out of his seat and approached Shuichi. Shuichi gulped under the older demon's cold, confident gaze.

_I'm toast…_ Shuichi mentally squeaked. _He's going to tear me limb from limb and not even lift a finger…_

"Shuichi, you say that Lord Manchu and Taki kidnapped you, beat and raped you. Have you ever been kidnapped before?" Tohma looked at Shuichi, who nodded nervously. "Have you ever been beaten before?" Another nod. "Have you ever been raped before?" Shuichi's eyes widened. "Answer the question, Shuichi."

"Objection, Your Honor! He's badgering the witness." Ayaka protested angrily. That bastard couldn't wait to jump on Shuichi! It pissed her off.

"Sustained." Judge Ukai sniffed, turning to Shuichi. "Answer Tohma's question." Shuichi looked up and locked eyes with Ryuichi's compassionate ones.

"Yes." Shuichi answered emotionlessly. _I can't believe he's going to bring this up… and in front of Yuki… I never even got to tell him myself… he'll never love me now… I guess this was his plan all along. To sabotage my potential relationship with his "Eiri". I hate him!_

"So you admit that you have been kidnapped, beaten, and raped before. What made this time any different besides the fact that all three happened at once?" Tohma demanded, his green eyes boring into Shuichi's frail lavender ones. "Why did you have to resort to releasing Crimson? After ten years of living in the cruel, unstable Half-Demon Realm, shouldn't you have been used to such things?"

"No one can get used to being treated like dirt." Shuichi narrowed his eyes. "I was nearing death. Crimson was the only one who could have saved me. No one else came to help me."

"Shuichi, is it true that you were sold into prostitution for the duration of time you spent in the Half-Demon Realm?" Tohma grinned callously as disgusted gasps sounded throughout the room. "And if so, wouldn't that mean that you were raped on a daily basis for nearly a decade?"

"Your Honor, I fail to see the relevance of Shuichi's past-" Ayaka snapped rudely. Shuichi's face paled.

_I want to kill him!_ Shuichi was so angry, so hurt, so humiliated… and yet he couldn't help but look at Yuki. Shuichi stared out into the crowd of faces until he found the blonde demon. Yuki looked… disgusted. But his gaze was focused on Tohma. _Is he mad at Tohma for saying that about me?_

"Tohma, get to the point." Judge Ukai rolled his eyes. "Memory Lane is sweet, but conviction is sweeter."

"Yes, Your Honor. Shuichi. My point is, none of these circumstances were unfamiliar to you. Did you finally get tired of your unfair treatment?" Tohma's voice was escalating in intensity. "Were you tired of Taki continually raping you? Did you channel your fury into Crimson, causing him to torture and brutally murder Taki?"

"I have no control over Crimson!" Shuichi shouted back, tears in his eyes. _He's making me cry… why is he being so mean? I can't do this anymore…_

"_That does it… let me at this bastard! Let me at him!"_ Crimson bellowed in Shuichi's head. _"Come on, Shuichi. Take the cross off. It's time for me to defend myself! You did nothing wrong!"_

Shuichi hung his head, refusing to face anyone after his outburst. The entire courtroom was devoid of noise. "I see." Tohma grinned widely. He was ready to sit down and eat his cake. "No further-" He broke off as Shuichi stood up angrily.

"You think you can say all that and get away with it?" Shuichi spoke out coldly. "You want to know why Crimson killed Taki? Why don't you ask him yourself!" And with that, he ripped off his cross and threw it as far away as he could. Shuichi couldn't take any more psychological stress. He had to go away, far far away from the cruel world that had bore him. The room glowed with the intensity of a thousand suns.

"About time he let me out." Crimson smirked and flexed his claws. "How's it going, Ukai?" He glanced up at the old judge, who looked slightly flustered now that he was out. Hell, the entire courtroom looked scared of him. Except for a few beings he knew and… didn't love. "Alright Tohma! On with the questions, please."

Tohma glared at Crimson. _Yeah that's right bastard. You know I'm not breakable like Shuichi. It'll be much harder to incriminate me._ Crimson licked his fangs. "Well? I'm waiting."

"Your Honor, is this even legal? Crimson was not called to the stand." Tohma turned to Judge Ukai.

"I believe we should allow Crimson to tell his side of the story. If Shuichi really has no control over this entity, then we will find out now." Judge Ukai nodded. "You may question him." Tohma didn't move; he just stared at cocky Crimson. "Approach the witness, Seguchi."

"Wassa matter, Tohma? Scared of little old me?" Crimson leaned forward, his long red hair falling about him menacingly. _I love this!_

"No, Crimson. Regardless of what your egotistical mind came up with, I am not afraid of you. Your lack of respect has merely stunned me into silence." Tohma quickly regained his composure. "Kindly tell your side of the story."

"Why should I bother? Everyone knows what I did." Crimson grinned, baring his fangs. "I slaughtered that bastard like the monster he was. I ignored your silly laws and used a Type-Zero on him because I like to kill in style. End of story." Ayaka let out a groan and covered her face with her hands. "Oh? Sorry wench, didn't mean to put a monkey wrench in your case there. I'll clean up my mess."

"Crimson. There is no need for foul language." Judge Ukai uttered. "If you cannot control yourself, you must allow-"

"Hell no! I'm not letting Shuichi back out so Tohma can batter him again." Crimson crossed his arms over his chest. "It's my turn to do the battering now. I'm here to prove that Tohma, your prosecutor is biased against Shuichi. Reason number one: Seki sealed Lord Seguchi away in Hell, ripping Tohma's father away from him. Number two: Shuichi mistook you for your father and nearly killed you. Number three: Shuichi became much too close to Tohma's precious 'Eiri'."

"Do you have any proof of these ridiculous allegations?" Tohma looked slightly bored, as if Crimson's words meant nothing to him.

"Sure I do." Crimson jumped up in the air and gracefully landed in front of Judge Ukai's chair. "Permission to use Shakespearean Tribute." A loud gasp rang in the courtroom.

"You can't do that!" Ayaka shrieked out. "That's a Type Zero!" _Is he trying to send himself to jail? What is he, a masochist? Shuichi is doomed…_ Crimson gave her a bored look, similar to the one Tohma had given him.

"Permission granted. Let us see how Crimson presents his argument." Judge Ukai looked intrigued, as did other demons in the room. Crimson raised his hand and the cross flew back to him from where Shuichi had thrown it. The cross levitated directly in front of Crimson, gently glowing red.

"Ex uno disce omnes." Crimson held both palms up in the air as if he was trying to push gravity. The cross glowed even more and black mist emitted from it. "Tohma Seguchi." Crimson declared and the half mist bubbled and fizzled… and then became an exact shadow copy of Tohma!

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are going back in time approximately fifteen days ago, the day Shuichi awoke from his coma. A certain conversation took place between Tohma Seguchi and Lord Yuki. Even though Shuichi was unconscious, I was not and I heard the entire chat. I believe that after hearing this, you will all be inclined to proclaim this case biased and therefore dismiss it." Crimson pointed to the remaining black mist. "Yuki Uesugi!" The lingering black mist became a shadow copy of Yuki.

Crimson snapped his fingers and the two copies faced each other. The cross flew so that it was exactly in the middle of the copies. "For those of you who don't understand, Shakespearean Tribute is a Type Zero that allows the user to reenact anything that happened in the past exactly as it happened."

"Ab initio." Crimson said softly and the two copies dramatically linked hands as if they were lovers, drawing closer to one another.

**Shadow Tohma:** Eiri, Eiri. You cannot stay here forever. As a demon lord, there are some things you must execute. Do not give up your title for-

**Shadow Yuki (moves away from Shadow Tohma):** Tohma. Shut. Up. I have no intention of leaving. My leaving him put him here in the first place. _You_ always wanted to be a demon lord. Why don't _you_ take over for now?

**Shadow Tohma (sighs loudly):** Eiri… This is unhealthy. Your father is worried about you. Have you seen Ryuichi or Tatsuha?

**Shadow Yuki: **Ryuichi came earlier this morning with Nakano. Tatsuha is still searching along with other demons for _Taki_. I'd love to mutilate his body and make him drown in his own blood… Now if you're done, leave me.

**Shadow Tohma (scowls angrily):** Why? The boy lost too much blood. He's been lifeless for two weeks. Is there _any_ chance of a full recovery?"

**Shadow Yuki (looks as Tohma shadily):** The last time I checked, you were a demon lord, not a physician. Tohma, where was Shuichi when Taki took him?

**Shadow Tohma:** Sleeping in a tree. E-Eiri? What is the meaning of this?

**Shadow Yuki (grabs onto Shadow Tohma's neck):** You _**bastard**_. Tell me what you know… right now! You set this whole thing up, didn't you?

**Shadow Tohma (smiles evilly): **Now, now, Eiri. While you were discussing the fate of Ayaka's baby with Nakano, I was taking a walk. I happened to see Shuichi sleeping in a tree, all by himself. I was concerned for him. But I didn't want to play babysitter, especially to a half-breed. So then I thought… who _**better**_ to alarm than his own brother? I told Manchu about his brother's state. And Taki just happened to be walking by as I told Manchu this bit of news.

**Shadow Yuki (walks away from Shadow Tohma):** Tohma… You're no better than Kitzawa. How could you put him through this? The very thing that I-

**Shadow Tohma:** Eiri, I'm sorry. But I had to eliminate him. The boy is a threat to your reputation. There are _rumors_ going around, Eiri. Eiri?

**Shadow Yuki (eyes glowing red):** Leave.

The entire courtroom was in silence. Crimson smirked and studied Tohma's shocked face. "Ad finem." He spoke quietly, finishing the spell. The two copies burst into black smoke and his cross clattered to the ground. Crimson knelt on the ground, the powerful spell finally taking its toll on him.

**And that's all she wrote.**


	16. Chapter 13 Part 2: Angel of Death

**Hello everyone! It's Christmas Eve and I'm impatiently waiting for time to pass! I thank each and every one of you for reviewing and I love you all! ((And because someone said that my last chapter was too short, I decided to make this one longer. Just to let that person know, all my chapters are usually around ten pages, more or less.)) And I decided to throw in a Christmas Tale, too! So enjoy both of these!**

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

_**Part 2: ANGEL OF DEATH****

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Crimson was practically panting with exhaustion. He had never felt this weak before in his life. It felt as if his very essence was draining out of him._ Is this what it feels like to finally die? Am I leaving this vindictive world? _What was happening to him? He held onto his throat, gasping for breath.

"I see you are feeling the dire effects of the spell you performed." Judge Ukai said, somewhat sadly. "Shakespearean Tribute is a very extraordinary spell because it does not inflict physical damage on anyone but the user. This enchantment is used to incriminate others at the expense of one's life. This spell is supposed to take the life of the user after his or her point has been proven. But you, Crimson, you did not die immediately. So I believe that is safe to say you are no ordinary demon, perhaps not a demon at all." Several shocked gasps sounded throughout the courtroom.

Crimson couldn't even answer, as another wave of pain struck every inch of his body. _So I was supposed to give my life for Shuichi, but for some reason, I'm not dead yet. I'm guessing that I have to lie here in torture until I finally die. What a great way to go. But what about Shuichi?_ Crimson held his hand out beckoning the cross to him. _If I'm going through this much torture, Shuichi must be… NO!_

"Take him away." Judge Ukai pointed at Tohma, who hadn't even spoken since Crimson executed his spell. He locked eyes with Crimson as demon guards dragged him out of the courtroom. Crimson would never forget that broken look on Tohma's face as he was hauled away from his precious Eiri, perhaps never to see him again. It was a heartbreaking sight. Especially since Yuki didn't seem to care at all. Most of the demons filed out of the courtroom afterwards. "This case is biased and hence, dismissed." Noriko, Saki, Reiko, Tatsuha, Ryuichi and Sakuya stayed.

The fallen cross flew over to Crimson, levitating in front of him. A circular pink and purple light emitted from the cross. It began bobbing up and down slowly. As quickly as it came out, the light plummeted through the floor and disappeared.

The cross fell to the floor once again, as if it was lifeless. Crimson had a feeling that the light had been Shuichi, but there was really no way to tell. Just as Crimson was about to fall into unconsciousness, he felt someone's arms envelope him. It was Reiko! She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

"Are you okay?" Reiko whispered in Crimson's ear. "I won't let you go, Crimson. I promise." Bright light surrounded them both as Reiko's tears fell silently. Crimson felt his strength rapidly returning to him. His eyes widened with shock as his breathing became much easier, all of his pain subsided, the thumping in his heart ceased, the pressure in his lungs lifted and he could move his limbs more freely. Reiko had healed him using her phoenix powers.

Crimson stood up slowly, with Reiko's arm still around him. He didn't mind leaning on the older demon for support, because even though he was healed, he was still deadly tired. Ryuichi and Tatsuha immediately flew over to him. "Hey buddy." Ryuichi put a hand on Crimson's shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

"Sure you are." Crimson sputtered out, coughing up blood. He lowered his head onto Reiko's offered shoulder, not wanting to talk to anyone. _I feel like shit. I can't believe I almost conked out in front of all those filthy demons. _His blood red hair curtained the rest of his face from view. Noriko and Saki rushed over to them.

"You did an awesome job with that Type Zero." Tatsuha grinned widely. "And you got Shuichi acquitted. Not that your ego needs it, but you're pretty amazing." No response from Crimson. Ryuichi rolled his eyes at his lover.

_He's accepting help from Reiko. This is not good._ Ryuichi frowned, poking Tatsuha in the side. They shared a knowing look as Sakuya came over to them. "Are you alright, Crimson? Well done, my boy. Well done." Shuichi's father smirked.

"He's not your boy." Reiko snapped protectively, her grip tightening on Crimson. "He's mine." Everyone's jaw dropped.

"W-what? What is the meaning of this, Reiko?" Sakuya sputtered out, backing away slightly. Ryuichi wanted to smack himself. "What nonsense are-"

"Not to long ago, you wanted to kill this boy that saved Shuichi's life." Reiko snarled, her eyes glowing with passion. "Now that he's done something out of character, you're ready to welcome him with open arms! You vile hypocrite!"

"Reiko… you must be feeling ill. He is a mere toddler compared to you." Sakuya shook his head. "I know you feel bonded to him because of Seki, but this really must stop at once." Ryuichi let out a long sigh. This was going to get ugly.

"Shut. Up." Crimson managed to say. "I don't belong to anyone." Reiko seemed only mildly surprised at this and her grip slightly lessened.

"The boy must be given time to fully recover." Judge Ukai came down from his chair. "But even though Shuichi has been acquitted, restrictions must be placed on the both of you. First off, the use of any Type Zero is forbidden and the two of you are no exception. If either of you use one, I will have no choice but to jail you. Second, my daughter Saki is yours to teach, Crimson. Once you believe she has reached her full potential, I will test her. If she has indeed reached her full capability, in my opinion, you and Shuichi will be rewarded. If not… well, you don't want to be informed of the punishment."

"Have you gone mad?" Noriko frowned, glaring at her husband. "You're giving our daughter to a mass-murderer? I will not stand for this! How dare you do such a thing?" She held onto Saki firmly, not wanting to let her only child go.

"Crimson will be under the supervision of Shuichi." Judge Ukai said simply. "It is done. You have no say in this, woman." Noriko's eyes filled with tears and she turned away from her husband.

"He won't hurt me… right?" Saki looked up at Tatsuha, who gave the child a grim smile. "Mommy… does Daddy hate me? Why would he give me to Crimson and not Shuichi? Shuichi's nicer. And he's strong, just-"

"SILENCE!" Judge Ukai bellowed, sending out a black lightning bolt into the air. "IT IS DONE." Noriko let go of Saki and shoved her towards Crimson.

Crimson finally lifted his head from Reiko's shoulder and glared at Saki. Reiko let go of him, seeing as he was strong enough to stand on his own. "I already have to watch Shuichi and now I have another brat to protect." He crossed his arms over his chest. "My life just keeps getting better, doesn't it? Hey, you're going to help me with this child-raising shit, right? I can teach her to fight, but that's all I can do." He looked expectantly at Reiko, which surprised everyone yet again.

"Of course I'll assist you, Crimson." Reiko smiled brightly.

"There. Satisfied?" Judge Ukai sniffed and turned to his wife. Noriko responded by stalking over to him and smacking him right across the face.

"What are you trying to prove?" Noriko hissed angrily. And with that, she disappeared into a puff of purple smoke.

"Mommy?" Saki looked around, distraught that her mother had left her behind. Gulping back tears, she turned to Crimson and Reiko, her new temporary family. "You better not starve me. And Shuichi gets to take care of me, too. I like him best. Got that?" Crimson growled at the young girl, showing his fangs.

"Certainly, Saki." Reiko patted the half-demon child on the head reassuringly. "I'll make sure Crimson doesn't beat you up _too_ badly." Saki slightly paled at this, but didn't show it. Everyone was awkwardly silent after this. Until…

"Tatsuha. Take Saki back to her room to pack her things." Judge Ukai ordered rapidly, clenching his fists. _Something is coming… But what?_ Tatsuha obeyed, giving the judge an odd look. He led the noiseless girl out of the room, stealing one last longing glance at Ryuichi.

"What do you wish to speak of?" Ryuichi asked as soon as the two were out of hearing range. Judge Ukai scowled and began scanning the walls, the ceiling and the floor, as if he was paranoid.

"What the hell is your problem?" Crimson snapped out. "Speak up, old fool." Judge Ukai turned to Crimson so venomously, the teen considered ripping the old man's throat out. _Who is he to disrespect me? I'll butcher him! Butcher him!_

Sakuya frowned slightly. _It appears there is a looming guest among us. It's been a while since I've had a visit from an angel. It's never good news… And why hasn't Crimson put his cross back on yet? I fear all these things are tied together…_ But Sakuya's mind strayed to how close Reiko and Crimson were standing together. _That bloodthirsty bastard somehow acquired the love she forever withheld from me. Has he no sense of honor? He has shamed me… I should do away with him._

Ryuichi could feel a stirring presence. "Crimson, watch what you say." He began looking around quickly as well. Crimson was slightly unnerved by this; he had never seen Ryuichi's eyes dart around in fear. _Now I know why he sent those two away. Whatever's coming is stronger than both of them combined…_

Reiko hissed suddenly and spread her arms out, sending out silver feathers tipped with red and black into the air. Her long fangs gleamed, lusting for blood. Crimson turned to her questioningly. The predatory look on Reiko's face meant one thing: Someone with deadly power was approaching.

"Okay, so everyone's afraid of this mystery guy." Crimson flexed his nails. "Well, come the hell out! Let's get this show on the road." Without warning, an arrow bearing white light struck Crimson in the chest. His cerulean eyes widened with shock as he slowly fell to the ground.

Reiko let out an enraged shriek, her eyes glowing red. She rose in the air and began flying around, looking for a body to deliver pain upon. Ryuichi immediately knelt down by Crimson and tried to see if he could remove the arrow with magic. Sakuya was slightly happy that Crimson got what was coming to him, but also slightly jealous at Reiko's protective reaction. Judge Ukai was more than a little scared at this point. The arrow had moved so fast, no one had caught sight of it until it had lodged itself in Crimson. Who was that fast?

Ryuichi brought Crimson's body into his lap. He made a gargling noise and coughed up blood, a lot of it. "I guess… I wasn't meant to live." Crimson laughed joylessly, gazing forlornly at his fallen cross. "I wonder if Shuichi's already dead…"

"Don't say that!" Ryuichi shouted frantically. He had never heard Crimson speak this way and it worried him. The one thing Ryuichi thought he could count on was Crimson's aggressive confidence ((which was quite an asset in battle)).

"He must be gone… I can't even feel him inside the cross…" Crimson began laughing hysterically. "I saved him from being convicted, but it was my spell that killed him. Oh… how cruel fate is… I've killed Shuichi Shindou. I don't deserve to live. He was… he was my responsibility. And I failed him miserably."

"No, no… Crimson, you must be strong." Ryuichi snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. "We did not make it out of the Half-Demon Realm for you to perish here! We are free, Crimson! And you _WILL_ not die!" And with that, Ryuichi seized the arrow that had implanted itself in Crimson's chest and yanked it out. Crimson let out a pained gasp and his eyes rolled up in his head. Ryuichi's body was glowing red with fury. "TAZIEL COME OUT… NOW!" He bellowed angrily.

Everyone froze. Reiko ceased her frantic flying and everyone just stared at the angry demon. Ryuichi's body was temporarily on fire. No one had ever seen Ryuichi so angry before. Judge Ukai didn't know who to be more afraid of: Taziel or Ryuichi. Reiko soared down to Ryuichi and Crimson. She softly removed her unconscious "boy" from Ryuichi's light grip. Ryuichi didn't even notice and stood up angrily, still ablaze. His hair was flying up erratically.

"So you have figured it out." A dangerous whisper said calmly from… somewhere. A figure materialized in front of the group. No one could tell if the person was male or female, but everyone knew his/her name: Taziel.

_Taziel is here… The Angel of Death has come to claim one of us… Is it Crimson? But if Crimson is to die… What will become of Shuichi?_ Judge Ukai frowned pensively. _All is not well… Will there ever be a happy ending for us?_

Taziel wore a simple, yet ominous black, hooded, long-sleeved cloak that reached the floor. The hood concealed most of Taziel's face, but they could see the end of Taziel's nose. There was a chain around the neck of the cloak made up of golden link and a black brooch hanging from it. Taziel had long, sleek, hooked black wings with jagged edges. Taziel carried a scythe: the shaft was black, but the blade was gold. In short, Taziel looked like a winged Grim Reaper wearing a necklace.

Ryuichi wasted no time attacking Taziel, releasing a tornado of fire at the newcomer. The angel quickly dodged it and swiped at Ryuichi with the scythe. Ryuichi let out an angry scream and all the fire around him intensified sevenfold. He sent out a humongous fireball that knocked Taziel over. The Bringer of Death growled and jumped high in the air, wings spread to their full length.

Reiko knelt down on the ground, in awe of the battle before her. She held Crimson tightly in her arms, never wanting to let go. She poured more of her energy and tears into the boy, healing him once again. _My sweet Crimson… how you have grown so… _She smiled softly, leaned over and kissed his forehead.

Ryuichi unleashed numerous fireballs at Taziel and then leapt up, ready to face the Angel of Death. "Now I will finish this." Taziel swung the scythe around rapidly, until it became a black and gold blur. Ryuichi kept attacking manically, but all of his fireballs were repelled by the force of the revolving scythe.

Taziel's wings glowed white and vanished right off his back. The white light changed into an arrow and the scythe transformed into a bow. Taziel quickly shot the arrow into Ryuichi's left arm, right in between his shoulder and elbow. Ryuichi let out a scream and plummeted to the ground, immediately unconscious.

Everyone was speechless. _He defeated Ryuichi… just like that…_ Judge Ukai scowled gravelly. _I fear this is the end. Taziel wishes to kill all of us? But Ryuichi is not dead… yet. If Reiko would stop holding Crimson, maybe she'd actually be of some use. When will that brat wake up?_

"Who are you?" Sakuya was the first to break the uneasy silence. "And why did you shoot Crimson?" _Not that I'm complaining… but I wanted to bring Crimson's ultimate destruction! Jeez… angels have all the fun…_

"I am the Angel of Death." Taziel twirled the scythe around.

"Are you a guy or a girl?" No one knew that Crimson was up, but _now_ they did. "Or are you none of the above? Possibly both?"

"You seem to have a lot of impudence trapped in that half a heart of yours." Taziel snorted softly. "I am male." Reiko's arms protectively squeezed Crimson, holding him even closer to her. "I see the phoenix desires to protect you."

"I will give my life for him." Reiko said fiercely. "If you wish to face the wrath of Nuri, shoot that arrow once more." Taziel said nothing, but it was obvious he was thinking about war with the phoenixes, or what was left of them.

"Your father is of no threat to me. He has enough trouble on his hands as it is." Taziel shook his head mockingly. "I think he can spare one useless daughter." Crimson growled at this and struggled under Reiko's iron grip. "Oh? I see the idiot wants to challenge me once more. What a fool you are."

"Why are you here?" Crimson hissed out, his claws singing to rip through the mysterious angel. _How dare he call Reiko "useless"? Spill his blood, rip out his…_

"You see Crimson… you are the cause of my trouble." Taziel took off his hood. He was surprisingly handsome: silky black hair that fell upon his shoulders, long bangs that almost completely concealed his sinister golden eyes and a black six-shaped scar on each cheek that contrasted with his pale, milky skin. Under the left six there was a black, five pointed star. "You were supposed to die today."

"I was? Why?" Crimson scowled, looking down at his hands. _Was it fate that demanded my death? But why me, why am I the one do die? _Reiko gave him a worried glance. It was as if she could hear his angst-ridden thoughts.

"You, among many others, were on the list to die today." Taziel began, shaking his glossy, slightly feminine hair. "Master Shuichi Shindou was on this list. He departed to Hell not too long ago and you were to join him. But you, you did not. You survived the _unshakable, unchanging, unbeatable_ stipulation of Shakespearean Tribute, the very thing that made it a notorious spell in the first place. Only one race can elude the consequences of a Type-Zero Enchantment: Angels.

"Type Zeroes were originally created by Zombies to fight against all malevolent races (everyone except angels), so naturally, we are immune to them. But you Crimson, why did you get to live and why did Shuichi die? What makes you so special? I know that the phoenix alone could not have helped you. If you were a regular half-demon, you would've died on the spot, like Shuichi did." Taziel broke off as Sakuya let out a choked gasp. "Oh you didn't know? Sorry."

"N-no…" Crimson shook his head, not wanting to believe what he already knew. "I can't… do this anymore… He's dead? After all I did… Shuichi died?"_ I knew it was my fault… How could I have done this? That light… that light must've been his soul leaving… I guess Hell really is below us._

"My son, why have you left us?" Sakuya let out another pained cry. Reiko and Crimson gave him annoyed glances. Ryuichi turned over on the ground and groaned, as if agreeing with Sakuya.

"I was under the impression that you abandoned your son." Judge Ukai raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't it Ryuichi that raised him?"

"Shut up!" Sakuya snapped at Judge Ukai. "I'm allowed to grieve! I was… I was ready to become a family again. And then… and then… I lose my son and my wife on the same day." He turned to Crimson furiously. "And it's all your fault!" Without blinking, Sakuya shot five huge icicles at Crimson.

Reiko let out an angry shriek, jumped out in front of Crimson, and melted every icicle just by looking at them. Crimson was awed. He had never seen anyone move that fast… and just for him? Even Judge Ukai seemed flabbergasted.

Taziel shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, Sakuya. You didn't let me finish my story." He smiled sinisterly, holding out a long, hand-covered, black sleeve at Crimson. "That is when I discovered: Crimson is no ordinary half-demon. He is the dormant, demonic form of Naytievanol, the Angel of Vanity. Ever since Shuichi was born, he had wished for a guardian angel to protect him from his persecutors.

"We decided to grant the boy's wish and allowed you to awaken earlier than you were supposed to. (Now we realize that was a mistake.) You have been inside Shuichi ever since you were born; but no one knew this but the Angels… and Lady Seki. Your soul was put inside Shuichi, because you will play a very important part in the grave, but vital future to come.

"Shuichi was to die today, but you were to stay alive. I realized that now. Just as Shuichi has conquered the living world, he must now conquer Hell. He must do this without you. It is time for Shuichi to begin to break free you, his protective cocoon… because soon, the two of you will be separated by fate. Shuichi must be ready for the responsibility once that time comes.

"Crimson, you were once a loved and revered angel, but your external pride and your internal hollowness led to your downfall. You desired power to make others worship you and accomplish the high goals you set yourself. While the beings were at war over the Type Zero Enchantments you deceived the Golden Ones into teaching you these forbidden spells.

"In doing this… you also tricked me." Taziel shook his head and a somewhat mournful expression appeared on his face. "We were best friends and yet… that meant nothing to you. You wanted power and you would kill for it.

"We stripped you of your physical body and angelic powers. We sealed you away inside of a cross and gave it to Lady Seki, the woman who would bear the One. Your task will not be completed until the One, the Golden Descendant, has achieved unification of all realms and worlds. Once you have done this, you will receive what you lost so long ago." Taziel finished mysteriously.

"Wait a fucking minute! Who the hell is the 'golden one'?" Crimson snapped out. "What are you talking about? I'm no angel! You're mixing me up with some other belligerent half-demon out there."

"You cannot deny your destiny." Taziel shook his head. "Naytievanol is your name. Shuichi is the One, the one who will finally bring eternal peace to all of us. The prophecy has begun to unfold."

"Shuichi is… it cannot be. Demons say that prophecy was hogwash and humans do not even remember such a ridiculous thing." Judge Ukai frowned. "Shuichi has shown no sign of being able to bring peace. All he does is cause chaos."

"Excuse me?" Sakuya narrowed his eyes at the older demon. "You shall not speak of my son that way!"

"Yeah, you're supposed to respect the dead." Crimson smirked. "Unless you want a Zombie up your ass in the middle of the night."

"The impudence!" Taziel let out a mock, stunned gasp. "I suppose all of you have forgotten how important it is that Shuichi come back to the living world so he can fulfill the prophecy."

"What of the Nadir Wars?" Once again, someone had risen up from unconsciousness without everyone else's knowing. Ryuichi seemed to be as good as new. He jerked the arrow out of his arm and threw it on the ground. Crimson gave Ryuichi a look. He had heard those words before, but where? Who had spoken them before?

"Ah, it is good to hear from one who is not ignorant." Taziel let out a sigh. "It's a pain, explaining all of this to them."

"If you think we're taking it hard, then Shuichi's brain must've exploded by now." Reiko muttered sarcastically, earning a snort from Crimson and Judge Ukai. "I wonder who's telling him about all this. I pray they're patient…"

"I will explain the rest to them. You have done enough." Ryuichi looked down at his arm. "Too much, actually." Crimson and Reiko were whispering to each other. "Hey! Shut up! I'm talking now and you'd better listen!" They both jumped. "Thank you. Maybe now I can begin…"

"Well, look at Mister High and Mighty over here!" Sakuya rudely cut in, earning annoyed looks from Reiko and Taziel. "You've been comatose for-"

"You see, I wouldn't mind if you killed him. Really, I wouldn't." Crimson turned to Taziel earnestly. "Just do that trick with your scythe again and-"

"Naytievanol? Are you making a joke?" The ghost of a smile actually appeared on Taziel's face. "I'd love to, but it's forbidden."

"Rules were meant to be broken." Crimson shrugged. _I hope we didn't have some gay fling back in heaven millennia ago. Oh… Ryuichi's talking… better listen._

"Millennia ago, there was a Golden Age. Angels, humans, and demons coexisted in peace and harmony. The world was one Utopia. All were Golden Ones, and everyone lived happily. War and violence were uncommon, because all were equally powerful. Prejudice was unheard of. But as we all know, it can take one loose stone to topple the tower. Some desired more power than others. They became slaves to passion, which brought unwise violence to the once serene land.

"It did not take too long for these few beings to corrupt others. Numerous wars broke out. Today… they are called the Zenith Wars. Power struggles, deaths and more atrocities were occurring and increasing gravelly each day. The discovery an ancient race: the Zombies, made things even worse.

"The Zombies were terrified by the three other beings and converted their obsolete magic into new spells that could kill the beings they feared. But because the angels were so beautiful, the Zombies left them alone. The three races fought for control of the Zombies, who contained the secrets of the Type Zero Enchantments. The demons, being the most power hungry, eventually won that battle, enslaved the Zombies, and reproduced their magic.

"The demons were now stronger than all other races. But the Zombies called upon their stronger, primordial masters, the Ghosts to deliver them from slavery. Now that the Ghosts were involved in the Zenith Wars, the tables had turned. The demons were no longer the strongest race. They could not kill what was already dead. The original three races were going to lose so they surrendered.

"The five races had a grand meeting. They agreed to split the world into five different parts. A heaven would serve as a realm for the blessed and remaining golden ones, a human realm which served as a purpose for those who did not have powers like angels and demons, a realm for a fairly new race produced during the Zenith Wars (half demons) who were called abominations, a realm for all the demons to live and prosper in, but the fifth realm was a barren place for the Zombies and Ghosts that no one else wanted to inhabit. It was named Hades or Hell and would become a place for lost souls and the dead to occupy.

"Under this treaty Type-Zero Enchantments were forbidden to be used by any and every being, except those five beings that were at that secret council. Of course, all five beings wondered what would happen if someone united all five realms. Once they combined their powers, the answer came to the them.

"A prophecy was revealed that night." Ryuichi broke off, letting out a long sigh. "I'm pooped. I've been talking for too long." Everyone almost fell over.

"You can't just leave it off right there!" Crimson shouted in protest, his eyes glowing excitedly. "That was the most amazing story I've ever heard in my life. Wish I was alive back then." _Zenith Wars… frickin' awesome!_

"You were, idiot. Did you not listen to anything I told you?" Taziel glared at Crimson. "You were one of the instigators that wanted more power!"

"Really?" Crimson grinned widely. He turned to Reiko proudly and to everyone's amazement, the phoenix ruffled his blood red locks.

"You devil you." Reiko giggled slightly. The look on her face made Ryuichi want to puke. "But I must say, this is tiring. All this information at once makes the mind spin." _My Crimson brought world chaos and anarchy. Such a great boy he is…_

"Preach it." Sakuya muttered. Then he remembered that Reiko didn't even want him anymore. "So wait a minute. Crimson's the reincarnation some High Angel back from the Golden Age and Shuichi is the Golden Descendant? Seki knew all of this and she didn't tell me?"

"She had no reason to." Taziel sniffed conceitedly. "It was none of your business anyway. Seki will tell Shuichi the prophecy, if and only if he can reach her. Seki lives in Akuma's castle, does she not?"

"That's in the middle of nowhere! How is the boy supposed to get there on his own?" Judge Ukai shouted angrily. "You set him up for failure!"

"We have high expectations for this boy! He will survive, if he is the One." Taziel said simply, stealing another look at Crimson. "If Shuichi cannot get back on his own, then the prophecy is a lie." Everyone was silent for a while. The prophecy was said to be absolute. Not that they _knew_ what it was, knowledge of it was illegal.

"Taziel. What makes you so sure it's Shuichi?" Crimson broke the silence.

"Nothing fuels the impossible like hope, Naytievanol." Taziel smiled sadly.

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**Hope you enjoyed it! Now, I know this was a lot of information to swallow and I'm very sorry if any of you are confused. **

**If you have any questions about it, just ask and I promise to reply in my next chapter. ((Which would be Chapter Thirteen: Part 3: The Angel of Hell.)) **

**Next up... The Christmas Special! We allget to know Crimson a little bit better. So click that arrow button and tune on in!**


	17. Christmas Special: Making Spirits Bright

**Yippee! The Christmas Special is here! I wrote this whole thing today! I'm so proud of myself! Yay, yay! Enjoy, enjoy! This is a lot less confusing than the previous chapter. **_**

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**CHRISTMAS SPECIAL:**

_**MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT ****

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The sky was completely white, promising every little child a white Christmas, for tomorrow was Christmas Day. One particular child wished for snow more than anything and he was sitting on the roof of his large manor.

This special little boy had long, blood red hair that reached his waist and piercing, dark blue eyes that struck terror into his victims. He wore a black jumper with silver hooks and buttons on it with a red T-shirt under it, a green jacket over it and cute black & red sneakers. A majestic, silver cross dangled from his jumper.

The boy was notoriously known as Crimson, the famous son of Lord Sakuya. He was hated and feared by others, and he relished in the infamy of it all. After all, he lived to please no one and loved the feeling of creating chaos. Unlike his other foolish half, Shuichi, who actually wanted the demons to like him.

Crimson knew that his father lived deep in the heart of the Demon Realm. He also knew that he lived where pathetic humans dwelled, in a city called Kyoto. But at least they were easy to kill. For once, spilling blood wasn't on Crimson's mind. He wanted it to snow. So in this sense, he was acting like a normal, seven-year-old who was anticipating a white Christmas.

Crimson loved the snow. It was beautiful and pure, so unlike him. The snow reminded him of his mother, Seki. She had played with him in the snow once. But now she was mad at him again.

Crimson flexed his long nails and smiled. He had cleverly persuaded Shuichi to create black nail polish for him. His mother hated it when he wore black nail polish. Actually, she hated a lot of things that he did. But Crimson couldn't help it. He was dark and cruel by nature, nothing more, nothing less. He couldn't change who he was, even for his mother.

Crimson was sure that the demon servants were scurrying about the house, looking for him. After all, it was Christmas Eve and Crimson was missing. "They all probably think I'm out killing something." The boy rolled his eyes and scowled.

Crimson stood up on the roof and smiled. "Maybe I should be. But if I do and it starts to snow, I don't want anyone's dirty blood to get on the pretty snow." So Crimson decided to do the exact opposite today. The boy resolved that today and today only, he would kill nothing. Instead, he would save someone from being killed. "No disgusting human blood will pollute the snow tonight."

Crimson licked his fangs and looked around. He hadn't even realized that it had gotten so dark. But nevertheless, it was nightfall. _Time to go out and save a human. Ew! I can't believe I just thought that!_ He giggled to himself, leapt off the rooftop of his house, and landed onto the street. He began dashing through the streets and alleys of Kyoto, past the shrines.

Crimson didn't even know where he was running to, but he knew that crime was everywhere. But Crimson didn't want to save any old human. He wanted to save one that was worth saving. This day was going to be special, very special, and everything had to be just right. So he bypassed every human he saw, wrinkling his nose in discomfort at some of them.

_Why are so many of them outside? Ridiculous workaholics! They should be at home protecting their families! Didn't Mother say that Christmas was about family? _Crimson thought to himself as he darted through the street. Various shops were still open and some were decorated with bright multi-colored lights. He heard a Christmas carol being sung somewhere, but ignored it. It wasn't worth listening to. Especially since his Mother was such a good vocalist.

Crimson finally stopped in front of a small candy shop, which was miraculously open. Not too many people were inside and that was a good thing. Maybe he could get a gift inside for Shuichi. Because he sure wasn't eating any.

Crimson hated candy. Actually, he hated everything that Shuichi ate. It was too much like the pink-haired boy, sweet and happy and bright. _Bleh!_ Crimson stuck out his tongue. _As if he needed to eat. He thrived on the mere slaughtering of every… _Then Crimson broke off quickly. _I mustn't tempt myself. No killing tonight._

Crimson took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and walked inside. A tiny bell jingled and alerted the whole store that he was here. Two happy couples, an elderly couple with smaller children, and three teenagers gawked at him. Blushing slightly from the stares, Crimson walked up to the counter, eyeing all of the candy.

"Wow! Look at his hair, Grandpa!" One of the smaller children, a girl, tugged on the older man's arm. "It's so red!" Crimson ignored her words and scanned his surroundings, looking for the perfect piece of candy for Shuichi.

"Did you dye it?" The other child, a boy, toddled over to Crimson, ignoring his Grandfather's protests. "Can Ipull it?"

Crimson gave the child an odd look. "Sure, but not too hard." The red-haired boy shrugged and turned back to the counter. A smiling woman wearing a bright green sweater and jeans peered down at him.

"What would you like?" The woman smiled at the boy tugging on Crimson's hair. "Hello there! You seem to like this little boy's hair!"

"My name is Sammy! I'm on vacation with my Grandpa and my Grandma and my sister Michelle!" The little boy, Sammy grinned widely, still tugging on Crimson's hair. "We live in California but my parents are fighting too much, so Grandma and Grandpa took us here."

"Shh! Sammy, that's enough!" Sammy's Grandma, a kind-looking, gray-haired woman scurried forward. "I'm sorry, Miss. He doesn't know when to stop talking." Crimson stared at Sammy until the younger boy let go of his hair. "And thank you very much for letting Sammy touch your hair. What's your name?"

"Crimson." Crimson had no idea why he was conversing with these humans, but he was. It was the time for miracles, wasn't it? "Hey you. Sammy." He waited until he had the boy's full attention. "I used to live with my Dad, but then we moved away. It's not that bad."

"So they _are_ getting divorced." Sammy's sister, Michelle whispered, but everyone heard her. "I knew it."

"Now, now. Crimson was just trying to make Sammy feel better. He doesn't think that, right?" Sammy's Grandma gave Crimson a warning look, but he wasn't intimidated. As if he was scared by some old woman who was in denial.

"Here." Crimson put a hand in his pocked and took out the only coins he had. He stood up on his toes and placed the money on the counter. "Let Sammy have whatever candy he wants. I'm not hungry." And with that, Crimson walked out of the candy store, feeling somewhat sadder than before he had walked in.

Crimson trailed about the street, dragging his feet around. It was cold and he could see his breath out in front of him. _Even at this time of year, humans are still suffering. It's horrible. _Crimson was shocked that he even cared about Sammy. _That little boy is going to go home to more fighting. His selfish parents are going to ruin him. They should just get divorced before they wreck everything. Humans wreck everything. They always do._ Crimson let out as sigh.

Crimson passed an alleyway and heard shouting. He stopped and turned back around, peering into the alleyway. Three men had surrounded a smaller figure, about his size. "Dirty little scumbag!" One of them shouted. A smacking sound was heard.

"We'll teach you to listen!" Another voice and another smack. Crimson had enough. Flexing his claws angrily, he bolted at the three men and ripped through one without hesitation. The human male was unconscious before he hit the ground. The other two men yelled and ran off, leaving whoever they were beating behind.

The small figure Crimson had seen was a small girl, perhaps about his age. She wore a simple blue T-shirt, ragged, ripped jeans, and filthy, worn black boots. Her face and her arms were slightly scarred. She was most likely homeless. But he was shocked by her hidden beauty.

The girl had shoulder-length, auburn hair that reminded him of falling autumn leaves and bright green eyes that reminded him of sweet, spring grass. Her pale, cold skin reminded him of a cold winter night, much like this one. She was the physical personification of every season to him and she was everything, like a tormented angel in human form. But one season was missing: summer.

"Were you born in the summer?" Crimson demanded, grabbing the girl's arm. Crimson was no doctor, but he knew that this human child shouldn't have been out in the cold with only a T-shirt on. But he needed to know.

The girl nodded slowly, her innocent eyes widening at him. "July eighth." She whispered and Crimson fell more in love with her at that moment. Her soft voice was like a tiny, cute bell ringing in his sensitive ears. "My name is Nozomi Yozora. What's yours?" Her bright eyes found Crimson's dark ones.

"Crimson." Crimson blinked suddenly and let go of the human's arm.

"Thank you for saving me." Nozomi bowed quickly, the ghost of a smile on her face. She shivered slightly and stood before him, not sure of what to do. Crimson quickly took off his green jacket and put it around her. "T-thank you." She smiled happily at him, snuggling into the jacket.

"You're welcome." Crimson blushed slightly and turned away. "So… where are you from?" Nozomi cocked her head to one side, some of her reddish brown hair falling into her eyes. Crimson had never seen such a cute sight and it completely terrified him. _Why is a human making me feel this way? Why do I feel so drawn to her?_

"Here, in Kyoto. My mother died when I was born and my father hates me, so he kicked me out of the house when I was three." Nozomi said simply, as if she had told her sad tale many times before. "Those men wanted me to steal for them, but I felt bad and I couldn't do it. It's Christmas Eve and if I steal, Santa won't give me what I want."

Crimson felt his little heart break at Nozomi's words. "I'm sorry. So you've lived on the streets ever since?" Nozomi quickly nodded at him. "You can keep my jacket. Did you have dinner yet?" Nozomi shook her head. "Okay then. I'll buy you some." Why was Crimson acting so out of character? Because it was Christmastime and he needed to give life instead of taking it.

"Really?" Nozomi's eyes widened hopefully. Crimson reached over into his jacket pocket and pulled out a couple of bills. "Can we have some ramen? And fried rice? And some pocky?"

"Anything you want." Crimson grinned, forgetting about his fangs. Nozomi jumped and covered her mouth in shock. _Crap. I forgot about those._ "Are you scared of me now?" His tone became daunting and dark.

"No. You saved me. You must be good." Nozomi smiled and suddenly grabbed onto Crimson's hand, shocking the both of them. She lifted their joined hands in the air and studied his. "You have long nails. And they're black."

"My Mom doesn't like them." Crimson said immediately and the duo began walking out of the alleyway. The two began talking about everything possible: from training to murder to candy to being hungry and so on and so forth. Crimson felt completely at ease with this human girl. He was happy that she wasn't afraid of him.

Crimson and Nozomi finally stopped at a grungy looking restaurant with a fading neon sign on the front door. "I love this place!" Nozomi squealed happily, jumping up and down. "I know the owner. Let's go, Crimson!" And with that, Nozomi dragged Crimson inside the dark store.

Crimson stared about him as he was led by numerous waiters and people eating. The food looked and smelled decent. The restaurant was dimly lit and the tables were shabby. The floor was dirty and Crimson could have sworn he saw some rats around. The people seemed to have the same ragged clothes as Nozomi, but none of them had her radiance. They all looked downtrodden and forsaken. They were all poor people, homeless, like Nozomi. Some of them stared enviously at Crimson, eyeing the cross on him.

Nozomi led Crimson to the back of the restaurant, where there was a tiny room in between two bathrooms. She knocked three times on the wooden door and burst in. The duo found themselves in a tattered, messy office full of bookcases, piles of papers, and stacks of boxes. A black-haired man sat behind a cluttered desk. He was urgently talking on the phone. As soon as he saw Nozomi, he said something more and hung up the phone.

"Miss Yue! Is it time for your yearly visit already?" The dark-haired man smiled down at Nozomi and Crimson. He had amber-colored eyes, much like the sun. But Crimson could see hidden malice behind the human's eyes. And it alarmed him deeply, that Nozomi knew such a dark man. "And what did you learn this year?" Crimson frowned at the condescending tone the human used.

"I learned that if you don't let people make you do bad things then something good can happen to you." Nozomi grinned widely, not noticing the glare Crimson was giving the man. "Crimson? This is my oji-san, Sagi Kanri, who owns the restaurant." She presented her uncle proudly, as if he was a saint.

"You have family and yet he does not take you in?" Crimson frowned suspiciously. "He doesn't seem poor to me. He owns his own business." _What a filthy human! I should rip out his throat! But… I'm not killing today. Darnit!_

"Oh, no, no. Oji-san can't take me in. His wife won't let him." Nozomi shook her head happily. "But he gives me money every Christmas Eve."

"But not on your birthday." Crimson crossed his arms over his chest. "What a nice uncle you have." Nozomi failed to realize the biting sarcasm, but could sense the tension in the air. She shivered slightly and moved closer to Crimson.

"Excuse me, little boy. But who are you to come here and scrutinize me?" Sagi Kanri narrowed his eyes impatiently at Crimson.

"Shut it, old man! Nozomi is your family and you should have taken her in after her father kicked her out!" Crimson shouted lividly, his hands becoming fists. "And all you can do is give her money? How about a home or love or-" He broke off as Sagi stood up quickly, banging on the desk.

"So. This is the riffraff you choose to associate with." Sagi took a brown envelope off his desk. It had Nozomi's name on it. "I was going to give this to you today, but I think I won't. You have lost my respect, Nozomi, due to the company that you keep. You will work for my money and my respect. Is that clear?"

Nozomi began to cry, but she nodded all the same. Crimson growled loudly, showing off his fangs. "C-Crimson, let's go." She whimpered and grabbed onto his arm. The redhead quickly dragged the other redhead out of there, so that the latter wouldn't incapacitate anyone.

The two exited the restaurant in silence. But Crimson couldn't take it anymore. "Why is he such a jerk? Why do you take that from him?" He demanded furiously, jumping in front of Nozomi. "You don't have to, you know."

"He's the only family that will even look at me. I… I killed his baby sister. But he didn't disown me like Father did." Nozomi tried to stop crying, but it didn't work. "And you made him lose his temper!"

Crimson scowled and scratched his head. "How much money does he usually give you? I'll pay you back double." He said simply. Money was nothing to him; his mother had plenty of it. "I am sorry, you know. But I… I lost my temper, too. I do that a lot. More than I should, actually."

"But you got angry for all the right reasons." Nozomi grinned at Crimson, her tears fading away. "I don't need the money. And I don't need to toil for my uncle to get a little yen either. I'll be just fine on my own." The two smiled at each other and continued walking on the sidewalk, surrounded by Christmas lights.

It was Crimson who first noticed the snow. The beautiful flakes were drifting downward towards him and Nozomi. He quickly shook her and pointed up. The chaste, white snow was falling to them. It was soft, it was cold, and it made their night perfect. The two kids stood right where they were and danced around in the dirty, rundown street.

_It's a good thing it's so late. Or else a stupid car would ruin our fun!_ Crimson grabbed onto Nozomi's hands and swung her around. _This is the best Christmas Eve ever! _The best part was it seemed as if it was going to snow for hours.

Nozomi giggled wildly as she opened her mouth wide, trying to catch snowflakes on her tongue. "Ooh look! It's sticking!" Nozomi pointed to the ground happily. And yes, the flurries were sticking to the street, to the parked cars, and on the sidewalk.

"Crimson, you're the best friend I've ever had!" Nozomi smiled warmly at Crimson. "I'm so glad I met you. You're making this the best Christmas ever." Crimson turned around, too embarrassed to look at her. Then suddenly, Nozomi's stomach growled loudly.

"Oops. I forgot to feed you." Crimson turned around and smirked. "Let's go get-" Crimson froze. Nozomi was nowhere to be found. He saw his green jacket crumpled on the street. He frantically looked around him. Nothing. _Where did she go?_ He ran to a car and looked under it. _Is she hiding from me? No… if she had moved, I would have heard her._

"Nozomi! Nozomi, where are you?" Crimson shouted loudly, looking every, trying to utilize each and every sense he had to locate the little human girl. But her presence was nowhere. It was as if she had never existed. _I don't believe this… I didn't imagine her, did I?_

"Crimson? Crimson?" A familiar voice called out to him. Nozomi! Crimson looked up and there she was. But she looked slightly different now: the scars on her face and arms were gone and she had small, soft white wings on her back. The snow fluttered around them majestically, coating everything with whiteness.

"Nozomi…" Crimson breathed out. She was even more beautiful now that she had wings. "What's going on? What are you?"

"I could ask you the same question. But both answers are obvious." Nozomi grinned widely. "Every Christmas Eve, I come down from Heaven to celebrate the day I died. I make it a mission to teach someone something every year."

"How… how did you die?" Crimson managed to choke out. He couldn't believe it. He had spent his entire night wandering around with a ghost.

"Those men you attacked earlier? They killed me." Nozomi's smile became sad. "If only someone like you had cared and reacted. But no one did. Crimson, you are a very special boy. I am glad I was able to teach you something, for you must use it someday. You must remember that death is always among us, ready to take us at any moment. 'Memento Mori'. You must upon this power only when there is someone like me to protect."

"What do you mean?" Crimson frowned. _'Memento Mori'? That sounds like one of those forbidden spells Ryuichi knows… _"Nozomi, I don't understand."

"There are so many oppressed, suffering people here in Kyoto." Nozomi gestured to the dirty, slightly snow-covered street. "Use this spell to aid someone who is suffering, who desires hope, whose past is bleak. That someone will be forever bonded to you, just like I will be. You will play a huge part in the Nadir Wars to come."

"What the heck are the 'Nadir Wars'? You're not making any sense." Crimson scowled. "How am I supposed to remember all of this stuff?"

"If anything, remember what I taught you, Crimson. And what did I teach you?" Nozomi smiled and her eyes brightened hopefully.

"You taught me… you taught me to appreciate my life. I mean… I saw so many poor people today. They all looked so sad." Crimson looked down at his claws. "And I… I kill so many all the time, like it's nothing. I wish I could stop. But I like killing too much. One night can't change me completely."

"I'm glad I taught you that, Crimson." Nozomi floated down to Crimson. "And now, I shall take you home. Your mother, Seki, is horribly worried about you. Something about black nail polish?" Her white wings fluttered as if she was amused.

"She hates it." Crimson said instantly, smirking at Nozomi. "So if you're an angel that means that you have all kinds of powers, right?"

Nozomi laughed and hooked her arms under Crimson's underarms. She stretched out her wings and flapped them quickly, shooting off into the white sky. Crimson laughed as the wind and snow ruffled through his long hair. Nozomi was a fast flyer and he found himself on his rooftop before he knew it.

"Right back where I started." Crimson flexed his claws and grinned at Nozomi, who stayed hovering in the air. "Nozomi, thanks for everything. And I promise, I'll find someone to use that spell on. I will."

"Crimson…" Nozomi floated down and hugged him. For a celestial angel, she sure was solid. The two children held each other for a long time.

"Crimson? Is that you?" Seki called out. Crimson could hear his mother running up the stairs that led to the door that led to the rooftop. Nozomi quickly let go of him and flew high into the air. Crimson waved silently and sat down on the roof, contemplating his special night.

"Oh Crimson!" Seki burst through the door and ran to him, panting wildly. Her long pink hair billowed around her, due to the harsh wind that carried the numerous flakes. "I was worried about you! I'm so sorry I yelled at you!" Crimson slowly smiled at her. Dark blue eyes met dark blue eyes.

Seki sat down next to her son on the roof. "Where were you?" The happy mother leaned back on her hands, admiring the soft snow around them.

"I met an angel named Nozomi. We spent the night in the needy part of Kyoto." Crimson turned to his mother. "Mom, I'm sorry, too. I just… I never knew…" He broke off, not able to look at her. "I always thought that humans were pathetic creatures that brought on their own suffering. But I was wrong… so many of them… Why is the Human Realm full of such cruelty? I wish… I wish that I could help some of them. Nozomi told me that I was to play a part in the Nadir Wars. What does that mean, Mom?"

Seki's eyes widened and she looked around her, as if looking for the angel that was already gone. "It's best that you forget that, my son. Such things are unspeakable here." She whispered silently. "But I will tell you this: If you still want to save us humans, choose the right path. Maybe you will have some say in our fate. Maybe you and Shuichi can save us all." The two sat in an enigmatic silence.

But Crimson _was_ seven years old. He had no time for silence; his attention span would never allow it. "Can sing me a Christmas carol, Mother?" He turned to her hopefully.

"Anything for you." Seki grinned and ruffled her son's blood red hair.

**"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire **

**Jack Frost nipping at your nose **

**Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir **

**And folks dressed up like Eskimos. **

**Everybody knows a turkey **

**and some mistletoe **

**Help to make the season bright **

**Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow **

**Will find it hard to sleep tonight. **

**They know that Santa's on his way **

**He's loaded lots of toys **

**and goodies on his sleigh **

**And every mother's child is gonna spy **

**To see if reindeer **

**really know how to fly. **

**And so I'm offering this simple phrase **

**To kids from one to ninety-two **

**Although it's been said **

**many times, many ways **

**Merry Christmas... Merry Christmas... **

**Merry Christmas to...you." **

Seki finished singing and Crimson scrambled over into her lap. The two sat in silence once again, watch the lovely snow flow down to the ground. Crimson stared up into the sky and felt true happiness for the first time. He was with his mother and that was all that mattered.

"Merry Christmas, Crimson." Seki kissed her son on the top of his head.

"Merry Christmas, Mom." Crimson grinned widely and jumped up. "Come on, Ma! Let's go get some hot chocolate!" And so, mother and son dashed back into the manor, wanting nothing more than to be with each other for the duration of the night.

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**The End!**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!**

**Did you all like it? I thought it was cute! Yay for Crimson!**


	18. Chapter 13 Part 3: Angel of Hell

**Hello everybody! Finally, we get back to Shu in this chapter. And we get to meet a new hottie, Apollyon. Doesn't he just make you wanna drool? Lol.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I loooooooooove you all! This chappie goes out to all you guys. ((Oh yeah, I just started watchin this anime called "Kyou Kara Maou". It's flippin awesomely hilarious. I fully recommend it. It's shounen-ai, too!))**

**Oh yes, I don't own "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down. Enjoy! **

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**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

_**Part 3: Angel of Hell

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Shuichi stirred exhaustedly. He was lying down on something hard. And it was slightly windy, wherever he was. Shuichi's purple orbs flashed open. He was in a dimly lit cave somewhere. _Why am I in a cave? Where am I? How come I'm not in the court room anymore? Did Crimson do something wrong? Am I in trouble?_ These thoughts plagued Shuichi's mind, until the wind intensified. Shuichi then realized what he was lying on: sand. Because it was currently in his eyes.

"OWOWOWOW!" Shuichi squealed, frantically rubbing his eyes. About five minutes later, his eyes were perfectly fine, since he had washed them out vigorously. Perk of controlling all things liquid. Shuichi studied his surroundings.

Shuichi was in a cave made of jagged, gray rock. The floor was covered in bright orange sand. And oddly enough, there was a lamp attached to the rock above his head, supplying him with a limited source of light. The cave was lengthy; it extended like a long hallway. But either way was full of darkness. Shuichi wanted to stay in this little nook, which actually had light.

"Whichever way the wind blows will lead me to the way out…" Shuichi pondered slowly. "Wherever I am…" It was then that Shuichi saw the other being in the cave. A male someone, leaning against the cave wall. Was he sleeping? Shuichi scurried over and dropped down in front of this person. _Can he help me?_

The being had shoulder-length brown hair that covered his left eye. He also had tears of blood leaking down his face giving him a dead appearance, along with his bloodied bandaged arms. He had a white scrunched up elbow length sleeved white shirt with black ribbons crisscrossing all over the sleeves on. Shuichi noted his pair of tight black pants with a silver chain belt around his slender waist. To top it off, he had a pair of knee high black leather boots with silver stitching on. His large black wings drooped on the hard wall behind him in all their glory outlined him in what looked like a halo of black. Shuichi was awed by this creature.

Shuichi was immediately overcome with feelings of sheer lust, just by studying him. He wanted to dominate this creature, whoever he was. As a matter of fact, it didn't even matter who he was. Shuichi just knew that he wanted him, badly. Extremely badly, more than he had ever wanted anyone. It was getting to the point where all rational thinking was leaking out of Shuichi's brain. This was bad.

It was as if some spell had been cast on Shuichi. _So… hot… must have…_ Never in his life had Shuichi wanted to be on top. Now it was all he could think about. X-rated images were rapidly crossing through his brain like shooting stars, growing more and more erotic by the nanosecond.

Shuichi reached out a hand to touch the being's brown hair, then stopped himself. _What if he wakes up? Then I can't have him. It'll be much better if I ravish him while he's asleep. Yes, yes, much better. The less fuss he makes the better. Oh wait… no fuss isn't always good. I'll bet his voice is more arousing than his body. Is… is that even possible? Ooh, I want to know… I want to hear his scream… Oooh, you're so hot… want you badly…_ Shuichi licked his lips in anticipation. He reached over to undress the male, and then suddenly stopped.

One single image had floated into his brain: Yuki. With that name, that cold gaze, that gentle hair, Yuki. That was enough to break Shuichi's resolve. _I can't do this. Who am I to take this man without his consent? I must be under some kind of spell. Because I know I am not a hypocrite. But yet… these thoughts continue to harass my brain. I have to get my mind off him. I have to stop the spell somehow. Yuki, I'm sorry… but you're not enough to help me this time._ The pink-haired boy smiled softly to himself. He began to do the other thing he loved, sing:

**"I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind  
I left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time  
I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon  
I feel there is nothing I can do... Yeah**

**I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon  
After all I knew it had to be something to do with you  
I really don't mind what happens now and then  
As long as you'll be my friend at the end**

**If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?  
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?  
I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might  
Kryptonite  
You called me strong, you called me weak but still your secrets I will keep  
You took for granted all the times I never let you down  
You stumbled in and bumped your head, if not for me then you'd be dead  
I picked you up and put you back on solid ground**

**If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?  
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?  
I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might  
Kryptonite**

**If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?  
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?  
I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might  
Kryptonite  
Yeeaah!**

**If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?  
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?  
I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might  
Kryptonite…"**

Shuichi finished the song, a wide grin on his face. He felt as if a burden had been lifted. He stole a look down at the being, just to be careful. No lustful thoughts. The half-demon was free! Shuichi jumped in the air happily.

"Yay! I'm not a pervert anymore!" Shuichi began dancing around, not keen to the fact that the being he had just been lusting after was now awake. With a very impressed look on his face. Shuichi stopped dancing once he heard clapping. He whirled around, only to find that the being was awake. "Uh… hello. Did you have a nice sleep?" The being's uncovered eye was bright hazel.

"You must be Shuichi." The being took one look at Shuichi and knelt on the ground. "I am honored to meet you. My name is Apollyon. I am the Angel of Hell."

"Wait a minute… does that mean I'm in Hell?" Shuichi squeaked out. "I'm dead? Why? How did I die? I don't remember dying. How can I be dead?" Apollyon didn't reply, he just stared up at Shuichi in wonder. "Umm… you can stand up, you know. I'm really not all great and stuff." He grinned sheepishly and held out a hand to help Apollyon to his feet.

"Shuichi, there is much you do not know." Apollyon bowed his head to Shuichi. "I am about to reveal information to you that might come as a bit of a shock. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Please sit down." Apollyon took a deep breath and began speaking of a time long ago- the Golden Age.

Shuichi's mind was slightly blurry, but after listening to Apollyon explain and re-explain things for about two hours, he finally got the main gist of everything. "So… I'm here to conquer Hell?" He asked for the umpteenth time. Apollyon rolled his eyes, but nodded all the same. "How far away is Lord Lucifer's castle?"

"Depends on how fast you set the pace." Apollyon let out as sigh. He had never expected the One to be so…well dense. It was certainly odd.

"Okay. Now I have one last question for you. What was with that spell you used on me?" Shuichi demanded. "You made me feel things that…" He shuddered in the sheer memory of his wanton desire. _Yuck! That was so gross!_

"Ah, that. As you know, I am the Angel of Hell. I was given an important task: I am to determine which level of Hell a being goes after they die. But this being must be one of prestige, power, and pathos. Only beings with a distinctive balance of these three are permitted to be tested by me. The test is based on the Seven Deadly Sins: pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. Each year, a new sin is chosen to be used in the test. This year's test is based on lust, as you probably figured out. No matter which sin is used, the method of judging is the same.

"The test is to see how far one can go with or without succumbing to sin. The majority of all beings that reach me end up giving in sooner or later. The longer one resists sin, the better one's score is. There are only two beings that have never succumbed to sin and ironically, they both went up against the same sin: lust. You are one of those beings, Shuichi.

"Now, there are three levels on Hell: Ichiban, Purgatory, and Saiaku. Ichiban is for all beings that came close to passing my test. They are allowed to stay in Lord Lucifer's castle and his territory. Purgatory is for those who are not completely ready to give up their sinful lives. They must live in torment; only by prayer can a tormented soul leave Purgatory and ascend to Ichiban. Saiaku is for those who have completely lost themselves in iniquity. They are forever banished to Saiaku, where they undergo suffering and atrocities that equal what they did in life. Once the debt has been repaid, they return to the living world as vicious beings that will one day die and at once return to Saiaku." Apollyon finished softly.

This was a lot of information for poor Shuichi to swallow. But he knew one thing: Apollyon and Shuichi had one big thing in common. "Wait a minute… are you saying that every powerful being except two that died this year…" Shuichi's eyes closed painfully. "They all raped you?" He asked in a tiny voice. _Poor Apollyon, his job is so unfair. I would quit!_

"Actually, the first one to completely pass my test died millennia ago. So you were the only one who didn't rape me all this year." Apollyon smiled bitterly. "I am grateful that you didn't. Thank goodness the year is almost over. I'm looking forward to it. It's funny… I've been doing this for thousands of years and lust is one sin I just can't get used to. I suppose, you can never get used to numerous beings raping you every hour."

"I'm sorry…" Shuichi lowered his eyes to the ground. _And I thought my life was hard… If I really can reunite all the realms…_ "Apollyon, I promise when I'm ruler you'll never have to do this again." _No one should have to go through so much pain… I never thought… This is horrible._

"Don't feel sorry for me. It's my job." Apollyon shrugged. "Plus, things are looking up now that you're here. I was given orders from the High Angels to accompany you to Lord Lucifer's castle."

"Really?" Shuichi's eyes widened happily. "So I won't be alone then! Yay!" _That's good. He needs a vacation. And I have a companion for a long time._ The two were silent for a while, until another question probed Shuichi's mind: "Who was the other being that passed your test?"

"Shuichi, do you think your name has any significance?" Apollyon answered Shuichi's question with a question. "Before you give me some idiotic answer, think. Think of Sakuya. Do you really think that he's been a good father? Do you consider him a father? And what of Ryuichi? Surely, he took care of you, but he's still _not_ your father."

Shuichi frowned, obeying Apollyon and thinking as hard as his brain would permit him to. "I suppose… I suppose if I really am the One and my Mom knew it, but Father didn't that means that Father isn't all that important at all. Maybe the High Angels don't like him because he tried to kill Crimson. Cuz I bet that they didn't like it when a demon tried to kill one of their own. Then again, I really don't like him all that much myself.

"I mean, I am happy that he gave me a place to stay, but he's not the same Father I knew as a child. So… I'm glad he's not a part of this prophecy thingy. Wait, is he? I can't wait to see my Mom again. Then I can ask her if Father's a part of the prophecy. Do you think she'll be mad that I don't like him? Do you think she still loves him? Or do you think she's moved on? Can you get married and have babies in hell? Do you think I have a whole stepfamily in-" Shuichi could have kept on going for a million years, but Apollyon's patient was wearing thin.

"What does your name mean?" Apollyon interrupted dryly, growing tired of Shuichi's mindless babbling. _This is going to be a long journey…_

"First son of Shu?" Shuichi failed to see the point in Apollyon's question.

"And what is your Father's name?" Apollyon tried to resist shaking some sense into the pink-haired boy.

"Sakuya?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side.

"So then, I guess it would be _safe_ to say that your real father's name is '_Shu'_. It would also be wise to assume that when we speak of '_Shu'_, we speak of the first half-demon ever born in the universe, the greatest of all time. '_Shu'_, the first being with demonic blood that ascended into heaven along with the other Golden Ones after the Zenith Wars commenced." Apollyon spat out as kindly as he could.

"Really?" Shuichi's eyes widened with amazement. "He's my real father? Who'd of thought it?" Apollyon wanted to kill himself at this point. "That's so cool! I'm definitely cooler than Crimson, er, Naytievanol. What should I call him?"

"He'll always be Crimson to you." Apollyon smiled sadly.

"Did you know him?" Shuichi asked curiously.

"Of course. All of us Angels were one big, dysfunctional family." Apollyon ran his fingers through his brown hair. "Watching his fall from grace was painful, especially for Taziel."

"So… Shu was my real father? But how is that possible? He existed so many years ago. I mean, the _first_ half-breed?" Shuichi asked incredulously. "What was he like? Did you know him?"

"Shu… his tale is not to be told as of yet." Apollyon stood up wistfully. "Shuichi, we must begin our journey. The voyage to Lord Lucifer's castle will not be an easy one. You must learn to fight for yourself. You no longer have Crimson to rely on." Shuichi cocked his head to one side, pondering the angel's words.

"No, but I have you." Shuichi decided brightly. "That's enough to keep me going. As long as I'm not alone, I can do anything."

"Oh really?" Apollyon raised an eyebrow. _His resilience is astounding. He doesn't even seem to mind that he's dead. He truly is amazing._ The angel helped Shuichi to his feet and the duo began walking through the cave. Shuichi didn't even mind that he was surrounded by darkness; he was with Apollyon.

"Say, Apollyon? Did a demon named Taki happen to cross your path?" Shuichi asked eagerly. At Apollyon's "yes", an evil grin covered Shuichi's features. "Did he fail miserably?" Another yes. "So he's in Saiaku?" One more yes. "Yes!" _Finally, he gets what he deserves. A never-ending cycle of pain. He'll suffer, then he'll go back to the living world and cause suffering, and then he'll return to Saiaku and suffer again… Oh, how I love karma…_

Apollyon and Shuichi continued trudging in the same direction, through the dark, windy cave. Shuichi would have to cover his eyes to stop the sand from flying into them. Apollyon was lucky; he had his wings to shield his eyes. The pair walked and walked for over an hour.

Shuichi slowly began to realize that the wind was intensifying. And it was getting easier to see. He could see the different shapes the uneven rocks made. "We're getting close to the exit! Yay!" He shot a fist in the air. "Lord Lucifer, I'm coming! I'm going to find Mom and find out the prophecy and-"

Shuichi broke off as Apollyon hit him in the head. "Ow… is that any way to treat your superior?" He scowled childishly, holding his noggin.

"Learn to hold your tongue." Apollyon frowned. "I don't think your pink head can grasp how dangerous this trip is going to be. We will be traveling through the outskirts of Ichiban for some time. If you think the beings in the living world were tough, you're blindly mistaken. The beings that live in the outskirts aren't bound by mortal rules. They're ruthless and reckless. This is not going to be easy."

"You think I don't know that?" Shuichi demanded angrily. He stopped walking and put his hands on his hips. "Nothing in my life has _ever_ been easy. I've been through just about every hardship any half-demon can go through. And I'm still alive. I'm not a pushover! And I don't want to be patronized!"

"I apologize." Apollyon said slowly, stealing a look at Shuichi. _The boy continues to amaze me. He continually rises above expectations._

Without another word, Shuichi stomped off ahead of Apollyon, leaving the angel smiling amusedly to himself. _I shouldn't have snapped at him like that. That was mean of me… _Shuichi let out a sigh and stopped walking suddenly, causing Apollyon to crash into the half-demon.

"What are you doing?" Apollyon hissed angrily.

Shuichi whirled around. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I really am, because I was just upset because all my life everyone always looked down on me and expected the worse of me. I just want… I just want to be believed in for once. Apollyon? Will you believe in me?" Shuichi asked, his purple eyes brimming with hope.

Apollyon blinked, giving Shuichi an odd look. "Believe… in you?" He repeated softly, running his fingers through his hair. "Yes, I will believe in you, Shuichi." He put an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders. "You truly are your father's son."

Even though Shuichi knew nothing about Shu, Apollyon's words caused a wave of pride to wash through Shuichi's body. Shuichi grinned widely and the two continued walking close together. The cave was almost completely visible to the naked eye by now. Shuichi didn't have to worry about shielding his eyes from the sand, because Apollyon's wings were more than enough protection.

Shuichi noted with pride that the closer they got to the exit, the windier and colder it became. I always thought Hell was supposed to be hot… He thought softly, beginning to shake from the impending chill. _I guess all those stupid myths were wrong… Maybe because Hell is underground and so far away from the sun… No that can't be it… I dunno! I'm confusing myself…_

"What plagues you now?" Apollyon could tell something was wrong with Shuichi; it was the way the boy's face was scrunched with concentration.

"Well, I realized that it's getting colder, but in all those stories Hell is depicted as a fiery inferno where everyone burns and burns and burns." Shuichi let out a sigh. "I really believed it until now."

"As of now, we're in the Forsaken Desert. It's blazing hot during the day and freezing cold at night." Apollyon smiled softly. "The extreme temperatures take a while to get used to."

"How big is the desert? And will we reach the castle once we're out?" Shuichi asked hopefully.

"The Forsaken Desert is approximately two thousand, nine hundred fifty-two point five miles long." Apollyon said as if he had memorized it. "And no, once we reach the end of the desert, we still have a long way to go."

"That's almost three thousand miles!" Shuichi stopped walking and screamed out. "How long is it going to take? Why does the desert have to be so long? Who made it so long? Why, why me?"

"Well… I remember meeting this demon who was obsessed with the ways of humans…" Apollyon frowned slightly, trying to remember what that demon had told him. "Oh yes… he told me that traveling through the entire desert would be the equivalent of traveling from the coast of New Jersey to San Francisco, California. Oh and if we were to take a… a car, I believe he said, it would take us forty five hours and twenty-five minutes to drive there. But that's just stupid. Once we reach the end of this cave we'll just fly and that'll cut the time in half. Not taking into account breaks and other distractions, of course."

"But… I can't fly." Shuichi said in a tiny voice. Apollyon stopped walking and turned to him in shock. "But… I can run really fast. And I'm a good jumper…"

"Jumping doesn't cut it." Apollyon said flatly, raising his eyes to the heavens. _Not only do I have to train him, but I must teach him how to fly as well. It's harder to teach older ones that skill… Then again, judging by his maturity level… age really shouldn't be an issue here. It's more a problem of his attention span…_

"I'm really sorry, Apollyon." Shuichi hung his head in shame and misery. "I know you probably expected a lot more from me, but…" Shuichi broke off as Apollyon suddenly embraced him. "Apollyon? What are you doing?"

"You're perfect." Apollyon held Shuichi close to him and ruffled his pink locks. "I'll teach you how to fly, don't worry." Shuichi relaxed his body, liking how gently Apollyon was holding him. "And Shuichi?" The boy raised his head slightly. "If you want others to believe in you, you have to believe in yourself. Now, I'm not saying you need to develop a superiority complex here, but you do need more confidence. You _actually_ are better than most of the demonic population."

"I am?" Shuichi's eyes widened in shock.

"Of course you're better. You're going to be ruling over all of us one day." Apollyon smirked, letting go of the half-demon. "It's time you start acting like it."

"I might be better… but I'm definitely not stronger." Shuichi pointed out as the duo starting walking once more. Shuichi latched onto Apollyon's arm, needing some of the angel's body heat. It _was_ a lot colder in the cave.

"That's where I come in." Apollyon stared down at the pink head directly under his left shoulder and held back a laugh. _Last time I checked, I wasn't a stuffed animal._ Shaking his head slightly, he continued: "It's my job to train you during this journey. By the time we reach the castle, well, you just wait and see."

"So I'll be macho strong, like Spiderman or something?" Shuichi gushed hopefully, his eyes brimming with excitement. "Do I have to change my name once I become the ruler? Because I really like my name. I do."

"Isn't that lovely?" Apollyon said dryly, holding back a long sigh. "No, you don't have to change your name. Will you stop asking me questions?"

"Oh. Sorry." Shuichi grinned and became silent for about five minutes. Then another thought popped into his head and he couldn't help but verbalize it: "Hey, Apollyon? Is it cold enough to snow?"

"Shuichi. We're in the desert." Apollyon said incredulously. _God help me… How do they put up with him up there? _Shuichi squeezed Apollyon's arm gently, oblivious to Apollyon's annoyed thoughts. _That's why… Because he's so caring and innocent. After all he's been through, he still space in his shattered life to love._

"Hey Apollyon?" Shuichi asked quickly, another idea sparking in his brain. "Can you make it snow?"

"No, Shuichi, I can't." Apollyon shook his head. And the two continued on.

* * *

**Next up, Shuichi and Apollyon train together! Shuichi learns some new techniques and who knows? He might even take flight soon! Hope you enjoyed it!**


	19. Valentine's Day Special

**Hello everyone! Thanks for reading, I love you all. Your reviews make my world go round lol. Anyway, this is an extremely long special between Tohma & Noriko. I spent the weekend finishing it up. ((Good thing I had a snow day!)) And woop woop! We've finally passed and run over the 200 page mark lol. Thanks to this ultra-long special, we're at 221 pages. It's like WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?**

**But seriously, I'd like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing and making me feel good. Prediction is over a year old wow. I need to update more often... Oh yeah, plus I'm going to go back and edit all the previous chappies. Check for mistakes, loop holes ((whatever those are...)) and just re-read to make sure I've got all my facts straight. So I won't be adding another chapter for a little while. And this time I actually mean it b/c I've got 40 of it done as of now, but I do need to spend time editing. **

**This special goes out to all the lovers out there. Twenty-seven pages of the most unusual and most drawn out love story ever just for you guys. All you angst-ridden, sappy, perfect, forsaken, star-crossed, humorous, all of the above or none at all lovers who have someone special unlike me lol. Hey hey, I'm listening to "I Never Told You What I Do For A Living" by MCR. I think I just fell in love with them all over again. **

**Oh yeah and Chris Evans from Fantastic 4 owns my heart. And Zexion from Kingdom Hearts own my body. I'll give my mind to any hot anime guy who wants it lol. But I don't own Gravitation, or the name of the chapter for that matter. "A chaos of deep passion" is a line from one of Edgar Allen Poe's poems. If he was still alive, I think I'd pledge my life and undying servitude to him. **

**This addition is full of flashbacks lol. Oh yeah, and if there any mistakes, please don't hesitate to tell me. I'm so tired I can only give it a cursory look-over...**

* * *

**_VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL:_**

"**_A CHAOS OF DEEP PASSION"_**

**((Tohma Seguchi and Noriko Ukai))**

* * *

Tohma sat in his dismal cell, contemplating his life. _What have I done? When, when did I lose myself? How have I sunk so low? Where, where did my life go? Who… am I? Why, why couldn't I be more… why is this happening to me?_ Tohma held his head in his hands, forcing himself not to cry.

_My life has become such a mess…_ Tohma thought bitterly, hitting the stone ground. He remembered the impassive look on Eiri's face when he was taken away. _He… he doesn't care… He doesn't care about me. _That thought alone nearly killed Tohma. He heard the pregnant wench moan in her sleep, making him jump.

Not too far from the brooding demon was Ayaka, in her own secluded cell. She was to be kept there along with Lord Nakano under Lord Lucifer's orders. But Tohma did not care about the two ill-fated lovers. He was in a state of disarray.

_All this time, I was going down a slippery slope and I didn't even notice. I find all of this so hard to believe._ Tohma was worried about himself for once. Not Eiri, or Mika, who didn't even bother to visit her own husband in the dungeon. Some wife she was. Then again, he had only agreed to marry the brunette to get closer to Eiri.

Maybe that had been the first big mistake he had made in his life, following an object of obsession, becoming a slave to passion and chaos. _Wasn't that an immoral thing to do? _Tohma scolded himself. _Fooling a naïve demon, making her think you loved her, while you were only after her brother?_ Come to think of it, he didn't even find Mika all that attractive. Compared to Noriko…

"I remember the first day I met her…" Tohma smiled wistfully, speaking out loud for the first time in hours, maybe even days. He didn't know how long he had been down here. "The piano player with such grace, such beauty and a charisma level to match even Ryuichi…"

* * *

**_(BEGIN FLASHBACK)_**

"Neeeeeeeeeeeeeee- TOOOOHMA-KUUUN!" A brunette with green highlights and sparkling blue eyes was dancing around in his seat, holding a giant pink bunny in his hands. The demon next to him, Tohma Seguchi, was calmly staring out the window of the limousine.

The limo was driving them around a huge human city. The two demons were under orders to find as suitable human to join their group: Nittle Grasper. Who gave them commanded them? Why, their oppressive fathers of course!

Tohma turned to his companion slowly. "Yes, Ryu-chan?" He inwardly sighed. _I still can't believe I have to call him that after all these decades. _Being sons of prominent, almost identical demons, it was no surprise that the two had grown up together. Oddly enough, their father's had encouraged their close relationship.

"I think we should stop somewhere and eat. I'm hungry and Kuma-chan is craving sausage, na no da!" Ryuichi continued bouncing in his seat. "Can we, can we?" Tohma shook his head, a true smile almost showing on his face.

"I believe you heard Ryuichi." Tohma said to the limo driver, who promptly stopped in the middle of the street. Tohma and Ryuichi got out of the limo. To normal humans, it simply looked like two oddly dressed people appearing out of nowhere. No human was permitted to the see the limousine, because they didn't exist yet in the Human Realm.

The two demons filed out onto the sidewalk and began walking through the busy city, searching for a place to eat. Needless to say, they earned some stares: a hyperactive male lugging a giant pink rabbit with him and an effeminate male wearing extravagant clothing. This kind of thing was not normal at this period in history, possibly not even accepted.

Finally, Tohma stopped walking in front of a tiny, quaint restaurant. The duo stepped in, impressed by what they saw. The inside was fairly nice, lit only by candles, giving it a more intimate touch. Pretty paintings of nature were on the walls. The restaurant was nearly filled with people sitting at beet root red tables and booths. At the other end of the restaurant was a stage with a beautiful grand piano seated in the middle.

"We would like a table near the stage, please." Tohma said as a lady in a dark red uniform scurried over to them. She quickly introduced herself as "Lucy".

"Ah. Come to see Noriko? She's quite amazing." Lucy said as the led them towards the back, but not before snatching two menus off a table. As they walked past the tables and booths, Ryuichi and Tohma received even more stares.

Lucy stopped walking and put their menus on a table that was in perfect proximity to the stage. It was right in the middle of the restaurant and not too close to the stage either. Perfect. Grinning widely, Lucy left the two of them there.

Tohma and Ryuichi sat down. For some reason, Ryuichi was acting more hyper than usual and Tohma himself felt slightly antsy. They quickly ordered drinks: Tohma, some wine and Ryuichi, some juice of course. Just after they ordered their food, a woman walked onto the stage and all talking in the restaurant ceased. Both Tohma and Ryuichi stared at her in awe.

The woman radiated beauty and poise, much like Tohma. She had a charming smile and the brightest eyes the blonde had ever seen in his life. She had long purple hair pulled back in an intricate, elegant hair style: partially braided, partially curled pigtails that reached her delicate shoulders. Her eyes were a wondrous swirl of dazzling bright purple and a happy light brown.

"Hello everyone! I see we have some new faces here. Welcome! I hope you come back soon!" The woman looked straight at Tohma and Ryuichi… and winked. "Just for you two, I'll play Beethoven's 5th. Hope you like it!" The woman sat down at the piano and turned back, but only to look at Tohma. "My name is Noriko."

And with that, Noriko proceeded to play the most beautiful, creative version of Beethoven's symphony that Tohma had ever heard. The woman rivaled even Tohma with her skill. They had found the third. But how would they get her to come with them? And would Tohma ever forgive himself for dragging this oblivious human into a dark world were demons ruled?

**_(End Flashback) _**

**_

* * *

_**

"No!" Tohma tried to stop thinking about the purple-haired woman. But it didn't work. Those memories were so painful, so meaningful and yet… he liked them. _Of course, when my life comes to chaos, I think of her. Noriko…_

Tohma was a very organized being. He wasn't anal or obsessive-compulsive, he just liked order. And as of now, all the order and security that he adored were both gone. Most like never to return. _I suppose I do deserve it. For trying to destroy an innocent life. _Would anyone bother to look at him anymore? Would the respect and prestige that had taken years to build simply disappear?

It was ironic really. Tohma had always _liked_ Shuichi, that is, before the pink puff had latched onto _his_ Eiri. Contrary to what most beings thought, Tohma was partially grateful to Shuichi and Lady Seki. Because Lady Seki had sealed away his father, Tohma was finally free. He could run things his own way, get by with his own methods. Tohma wasn't a killer like his father.

It was his father that had controlled _EVERY_ aspect of Tohma's life from birth. It was Lord Seguchi who had forced Ryuichi, Noriko, and himself to form Nittle Grasper, a musical group that was used to coerce and brainwash beings to fight for and support King Sakuma and Lord Seguchi. It was his father who had arranged for the marriage between Mika and Tohma.

But Tohma couldn't love anyone the way he had loved Noriko. That piece of him was for Noriko and Noriko only. So instead, he had turned to bitter infatuation and noxious obsession to hide the pain of losing the only woman he had ever truly loved. Tohma couldn't hold his tears back anymore. He openly sobbed, holding himself tightly. Sitting alone in a dark cell gave on a lot of time to reflect on the past. It was easy to lose track of time while reflecting.

_I used to be happy… I used to have everything, but now I have nothing._ Tohma whimpered softly. _No matter how powerful I became, no matter how much esteem I gained… I still had nothing without her. Noriko can't help me. She has a family now. _

Tohma cocked his head to one side. _If we were still together, would Saki be my daughter? Would I have a half-breed for a child? Would that matter?_ Tohma smiled, his imagination doing wonders for him. Of course it wouldn't matter. Saki would be a happy child. He would have loved them both forever. He then thought of Miyuki. _Where are you now?_ Lord Tetsuya was too cold to his family. He only provided basic necessities for them. How was Noriko supposed to live without love? There was a time that Noriko pledged that she needed to be loved to live and live to be loved.

* * *

**_(Begin Flashback)_**

Tohma Seguchi was lying on his back on a fancy, white bed in a beautifully decorated room. He and the rest of his band, Nittle Grasper, had just finished another wild concert. The fans had been screaming in rapture, dancing and jumping around. Nittle Grasper was a complete success. King Sakuma and Lord Seguchi had enough allies to form their own continent. And oddly enough, Noriko didn't even mind living with demons that much. She even knew of their existence, which was always a plus.

Noriko was a joy and she brought vitality to Nittle Grasper, spirit that Ryuichi didn't have. Tohma couldn't understand it. Was it because she was a human? Because her life was so short, she had to live everything to fullest? It was a shame the human life span was so short. Tohma didn't understand why he didn't want Noriko to age and die. But he knew that as soon as it happened, his father would just order them to find a new human. And for some reason, that deeply disturbed him.

"I can't do that." Tohma spoke out loud, frowning slightly. Some may have thought him heartless, but that was certainly not the case. It would be impossible to replace Noriko. "Why am I becoming upset? It's only been six months." Yes, Tohma, Ryuichi and Noriko had been living together for six whole months. Noriko was going to turn twenty-eight in about ten weeks. How was it possible? How had a female, a human no less, managed to nestle herself so deep inside Tohma's heart?

"Should I give her my seal?" But even as Tohma spoke these words out loud, he knew how ridiculous they were._ She would never agree to it. I am merely acting foolish. She is a human and I would never gain consent. _The blonde froze as someone burst noisily into his room.

"Tohma! It's time for dessert!" Noriko skipped around until she saw Tohma lying down in his bed. "What's wrong with you, lazy bum?"

"Excuse me?" Tohma raised an eyebrow, sitting up, using the pillows for back support. "If I may recall, it was you who spent three hours lolling in the tub this afternoon instead of practicing our new song." Tohma couldn't hold back a smirk as Noriko blushed.

"But seriously." Noriko plopped down on Tohma's bed and stared at him. "What's wrong with you? Lately you've been acting so down. I don't get it."

"Just because I'm not naturally hyper and cheery like you and Ryuichi does not mean something is wrong with me." Tohma blinked slowly. _She knows me too well…"_What's for dessert?"

"Don't you try and change the subject!" Noriko scowled at him, pointing an accusing finger at his chest. "You've been holding something in. You'd better tell me… or I'll… I'll… I'll send Doctor Kuma-chan to give you a-"

Tohma held his hands up quickly in surrender. _Darnit. _He let out a slow sigh. _How can I tell her I'm afraid she'll die? She'll laugh in my face. But I'd rather face humiliation than Doctor Kuma-chan…_He shuddered in memory of the pink bunny asking him how he felt about his life. _As if that stupid rabbit knows the difference between a psychology and psychiatry._

"Good!" Noriko smiled brightly, putting a hand on Tohma's shoulder. "I'm here to help. So spill. What's been dragging you down?"

Tohma took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but nothing came out at first. "I… I've been thinking about you lately. You're a human, after all. One day, you're going to die and we'll be left… behind." He said slowly, not daring enough to look at her. Noriko stared at him for a while, processing his words.

"Tohma… why are you plaguing yourself with something that hasn't even happened yet?" Noriko shook her head, smiling slightly. "Jeez, I'm twenty-seven years old. I've still got some life left in me."

"You don't understand." Tohma said coldly. "Most humans don't even live to reach ninety. And by then, most of them can't even function. I don't want… I don't want to see you like that. Ninety years… is nothing to a demon."

Noriko was quite for a while. Then, she suddenly jumped forward and grabbed Tohma around the waist, pressing her face into his chest. Tohma slowly put his arms around her, resting his chin in her long lavender locks. "Tohma… I'm sorry I worried you. But… there must be some way, right? I mean, some kind of Fountain of Youth or I could become a vampire or-"

"It's not that easy." Tohma interrupted her gently. "Messing around with nature has repercussions. I doubt my father would approve of increasing your life span." He reluctantly let go of Noriko, moving away from her.

"You know… when I was a teenager, I was such a loser. I used to think that I needed a boyfriend to function. I went through so many… well, that's beside the point. But now I understand why I did that. It's because… to me love equals life. I need to be loved to live and live to be loved. You probably think that's stupid, but-" Noriko broke off as Tohma chuckled slightly. "What? It's not funny!"

"I completely understand. You believe that love is a necessity, that there is no point in living if there is no one that truly appreciates your existence. You live to surround yourself with love and adoration, to fulfill someone else's desires, your love becomes your perfect dream." Tohma bent his head back, leaning it against the wall. "But why do you think love is a necessity? More so than food or clothing?"

"Possessions are useless unless you have someone to share them with." Noriko shrugged, stealing a quick look at Tohma. "But… are you okay now?"

Tohma smiled then, not a fake one (which he was used to giving), but a genuine smile that lit up his eyes and changed his whole face. He got off the bed and extended a hand to Noriko.

"I believe key lime pie and Doctor Kuma-chan are waiting for us." Tohma said pleasantly as Noriko grabbed onto his hand. The two began walking and he noted with curiosity that Noriko didn't let go of his hand, even after they exited his room. They were probably going to get stared at by the servants and questioned by both Ryuichi, but Tohma didn't care.

Tohma looked down at his and Noriko's hands as they walked down the hallway. Linked together. No one saw his invisible smile, not even Noriko. Just this once, he was going to be truly happy. And keep it to himself.

**_(End Flashback) _**

**_

* * *

_**

Tohma leaned his head back in true nostalgic bliss. The tip of his head touched the cold stone wall that imprisoned him. _I'm such as mess…_ The demon thought bitterly, looking up at the darkness surrounding him. _Maybe if I hadn't given into Nuri and my father, none of this would've happened._

"I keep making excuses. I'm such an idiot." Tohma was truly in despair. "Eiri, Eiri. Where are you now? Are you thinking about me? Why, why did you leave me? I'm not Kitzawa, I promise. I would never hurt you."

"But you hurt Shuichi." A dark voice taunted the already haunted blonde. "Eiri found happiness and you just had to take it away."

"No! Shuichi isn't good enough for Eiri! He's a half-demon, a disgrace to all living things. He does NOT deserve my Eiri. Eiri will forget about him soon enough. Once Eiri finds someone worthy, I will permit them to be together." Tohma said matter-of-factly, as if it was completely normal to hold a conversation with a voice.

"Who are you to decide what's good for Eiri? There was time when you had that right, but it's long gone now." The voice said sneeringly. "It's a good thing, too. Look what you did to him. Because of you, Eiri was-"

"STOP IT!" Tohma shrieked wildly, his eyes widening to their full capacity. _Think happy things. Think happy things. Think happy things. Think happy things. Think happy things._ Tohma closed his eyes and tried to obey himself. Suicide was starting to look more and more tempting. _Noriko… what would you do if I committed suicide? Would you cry for me? Would you remove my seal?_

Tohma was having trouble distinguishing reality from memories. He kept drifting back and forth from dreary to delight. He was losing his sanity, literally. Staying behind in his memories helped him prolong it, but how long would it work?

* * *

**_(Begin Flashback)_**

Tohma was lying in an elegant pearl-colored bath tub filled with hot water and bubbles. He sighed in relief. It was the first peaceful night after days of panic and excitement. _How long have we been running away? _He smiled, remembering the night Ryuichi confessed his undying love for Tatsuha and ended his singing career. It was also the day Noriko kissed him.

"That certainly was an interesting day." Tohma grinned. He had been smiling more lately. He and Noriko had taken off into the night, filled with pandemonium and racket. He knew that both King Sakuma and his father were livid, but he didn't care. Tohma and Noriko had escaped, traveling to the Human Realm and were now living in New York.

Ryuichi had the whole thing carefully planned, amazingly enough. Kumagorou, the rabbit that he had insisted they take had actually contained a blue, crystallized portal on its red bow. Tohma had no idea the demon could be that sly.

"I wonder what he's doing now…" Tohma let out a contented sight. "Most likely lying low, just like us…" Speaking of, where was Noriko? Usually she liked joining him in the tub. It had taken a while for Tohma to get used to Noriko's… openness about her sexuality, but it had been worth it.

Sometimes I go to sleep and I wake up… and still can't believe it. I'm living with a human, the human I love. I've been living with her for four months. Four months with Noriko. Tohma pushed some of the bubbles around with his toes. I've never experienced happiness like this before. And my father still hasn't found me. He thought gleefully. If his father did manage to find them, Tohma was prepared to kill his father with his bare hands. He didn't want to wake up from his perfect dream.

Tohma slowly yawned, tried to get out of the tub, but lethargy won. He slumped back down and closed his eyes, allowing relaxation to envelop him. He was so comfortable, he didn't notice when Noriko stealthily snuck into the tub. He lazily opened one eye a few minutes later and almost had a heart attack.

"N-Noriko? What are you doing?" Tohma sputtered out, blushing slightly. _Darnit… she's the only one that can do this to me. She makes me crazy, in a good way. She takes away my calm and makes it chaos._ _But I love her for it. _Noriko giggled and splashed Tohma in response. _Great… now she wants to have another water fight._

"I just can't stand it when you sit and do nothing!" Noriko wrinkled her nose cutely. "You need to be more active. You're thinner than I am. What do you think that does to my self-esteem?" Tohma merely stared at her in response, making the woman purse her lips in frustration. "You know, you do a pretty good job of making me look like a fussy, selfish woman."

"I do nothing of the sort." Tohma sniffed, smirking slightly. "You do that fine on your own." He was surprised to see genuine anger on Noriko's face.

"Oh!" Noriko narrowed her eyes and glared at Tohma. "What's wrong with you? Why haven't you gotten my Valentine's Day present yet?"

_Huh? What is she talking about? _Tohma gave Noriko a confused look. "What is this 'Valentine's Day'? Is it like your 'Christmas'?" Tohma cocked his head to one side. "Noriko, we both know I know nothing of your human holidays. It is your job to warn me in advance."

"Would it kill you to do some research about my culture?" Noriko snapped back. Tohma could be so… so practical at times it made her sick!

"You have missed plenty of my holidays, yet I have not complained once." Tohma pointed out, making Noriko feel guilty. "Now then, what is Valentine's Day? What are we to do? When is it?"

"Well… Valentine's Day is tomorrow, the one day of the year where all couples express their love for each other. You can give chocolate or roses or stuffed animals or write a romantic poem…" Noriko smiled blissfully. "Basically, you have to spend an enormous amount of money and show me how much you care."

"And you do the same?" Tohma raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah… but the man has to put more work into it! Ladies like to be re-wooed." Noriko sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I seem to remember, that it was you who wooed me." Tohma smirked. "So perhaps I should be… 're-wooed'. You are the dominant one in this relationship." Noriko blushed and refused to look at the demon, who chortled to himself.

"Just because you weren't man enough to swallow your fear and submit to feelings-" Noriko broke off as Tohma leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

"And I love you for it." Tohma whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, Noriko. I was just teasing you." He began kissing and sucking her sweet neck.

"You jerk." Noriko scowled, but her eyes were sparkling. She was starting to feel light-headed with pleasure. _And he said I'm the dominant one… yeah right! Ooh that feels good…_ Noriko's brain turned off at this point. But then Tohma jumped up and left the tub! "W-what? What are you doing? Toh-kun?"

Tohma grinned cheekily as he wrapped a towel around his waist. "I can't spend all this time with you. I have to go plan Valentine's Day. And until then, no sex." He inwardly laughed. This was going to get interesting. He could go at least two weeks without sex, but Noriko? She couldn't last without having sex at least twice a day. "Tomorrow night you can ravish me all you want."

"How dare you?" Noriko shrieked angrily. Tohma was slightly amused at how irritated her eyes looked. "You can't just leave me here like this!"

"Bye Nori-chan." Tohma said gleefully and skipped out of the room.

"You evil sadistic…" Noriko broke off as she realized that Tohma really wasn't coming back. "TOOOOOOOOOHMAAA!"_I shouldn't have told him about Valentine's so soon… Toh-kun… why did you leave me _She let out a long sigh. "Oh well. More bubbles for me."

**Some time later...**

It was after two o'clock on Valentine's Day and Noriko was livid. She hadn't seen Tohma since last night. Just what was that idiot planning? This day wasn't that important that he had to withhold sex from her! Noriko let out another loud sigh, something she had been doing for hours.

The purple-haired woman was sitting on the off-white couch in their living room, lazily flipping through the channels. But she knew that Tohma was planning something good. Noriko smiled slightly. _He really is romantic. _She remembered her breakfast, made by her favorite blonde: a heart-shaped pancake decorated with whipped cream and strawberries, two perfectly crispy bacon strips twisted into stems placed on either side of the pancake, and eggs cooked in the shape of rosebuds, placed on top of the strips. Only Tohma could cook that extravagantly.

"I almost didn't want to eat it…" Noriko giggled slightly. Noriko had gotten Tohma's two presents a while ago, so there was no pressure on her. "Maybe I should have told him about this earlier." _I feel bad now… I feel like I kinda forced it on him. Now he's off somewhere working hard for me. I don't deserve his devotion… And he's right, I don't celebrate any of his demon holidays with him. When did I become so selfish? From now on, I have to give back. Tohma deserves it._

Noriko yawned and flipped the TV channel. Did the humans invent television yet? Yeah, they did. Back in 1926 or so. But Noriko knew that no TV was as high-tech as the one Tohma ordered from the Demon Realm. _He's amazing… and loaded. He's going to love my gift!_ She grinned to herself and stretched out on the couch. But she was getting bored and didn't take her long to drift off into sweet slumber.

"Nori-chan." Noriko felt someone shaking her gently, someone whispering sweetly in her ear. She slowly opened her eyes and stared up into the face of Tohma, the demon she loved. Yes, demon. Who'd of thought it? Weren't demons supposed to be cold-hearted and bloodthirsty and wicked creatures? Not her Tohma.

"Present." Noriko smirked slightly as Tohma rose back to his feet, extending a hand to her. "Happy Valentine's Day! Can I give you your present now?"

"Not yet. I get to go first." Tohma grinned evilly as he pulled the human to her feet. "I see you're already dressed for the occasion." Noriko hadn't taken off her pajamas yet. She blushed and looked away.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep. I was just so-" Noriko broke off as Tohma kissed her gently, something she had been denied for a very long time. "Well, it's about time! And why do you keep interrupting me?"

"I'd rather kiss you than listen to you speak." Tohma laughed, enjoying the angry look on Noriko's face. "Just for tonight."

"Huh? It's nighttime already?" Noriko turned to look at the TV clock. Lo and behold, it was after seven o'clock! "Where did the day go?" Tohma shook his head and gently pulled Noriko towards their room.

"Close your eyes." Tohma ordered and Noriko obeyed, but not before rolling them slightly. He could barely hold back his joy. He wanted to pick Noriko up and fly to their room, but he wanted everything to go perfectly. He and Noriko at last reached their final destination.

Tohma slowly opened the door to their room and lead Noriko inside. He stopped walking once they were right in the middle of their room. "Okay. Open them." He was so excited, he felt as if he was going to burst.

Noriko opened her eyes and almost passed out from shock. Their room had been completely redecorated. There were four off-white, almost beige dressers on the left and right side of the walls, two for each side (with mirrors attached), adorned in red, white, and pink lit candles. She ran over to them happily staring at her happy face in the mirror.

"Noriko, over here." Tohma gestured to the bed, which also had a makeover. Noriko dashed over, excited as a child on Christmas. Their bed was bigger, with a red velvet comforter and elegant drapes drifting downward, hiding sweet secrets. Noriko pushed them aside and crawled on all fours to the middle of the bed.

There were rose petals sprinkled all around the middle of the bed, in the shape of a heart. Each rose petal was a different color. Noriko didn't even know that roses could be black, but she certainly knew now. And to top it off, there was a cute stuffed purple bear in the middle of the bed holding a red box of chocolates with a carefully tied pink ribbon on it, laced with white. Noriko gently removed the box from the bear's arms and tears sprung her eyes. The bear was wearing a T-shirt that said "Live to love and love to live" in bold green letters.

"T-Tohma…" Noriko turned to Tohma happily, who was still standing in the middle of the room. "Get over here you!" He walked over slowly, not sure if Noriko was really happy, judging by her tears.

"Noriko, why are you crying?" Tohma frowned slightly, brushing some of her tears away. "Did I do something wrong?" This made Noriko cry even more.

"No one has ever done something like this for me before…" Noriko wiped her tears away. "You've made me so happy, Tohma. You're perfect Tohma. You're my reason for living. I, I…" She couldn't even talk anymore, she was so overcome with joy. She jumped onto Tohma, making the bed move a little.

"So you do like it!" Tohma grinned widely, putting a hand on top of Noriko's head. "I'm glad you do. It took me a while to figure out what to do. I'm not very good at writing poetry, so I didn't make you a card."

"Idiot! Do you think I want a card?" Noriko laughed and sat up, pulling her blonde up with her. "You've made me the happiest woman alive! And the luckiest! You do realize that I'm not letting you out of my sight for a while now, right?" She grinned evilly.

"Does this mean we have to play Mistress of Pain again?" Tohma let out a sigh, but he was glowing on the inside. Noriko was enjoying herself and that was all that mattered. He showed Noriko just how much he loved her.

"We are going to take a trip in three days, my friend." Noriko pulled two tickets out of her pajama pants. It had been hard to get these without Tohma's help, but it was well worth the look on his face.

"A permit to teleport to the Caribbean? Where did you get that?" Tohma raised an eyebrow. "You're not a demon."

"I have my ways." Noriko grinned. "And the rest of your present is waiting for you there." Tohma leaned in and kissed Noriko happily.

**Wow this a long flashback...**

Tohma and Noriko were lying down on a hammock, gently swinging with the breeze. The hammock was tied to two palm trees, which provided them with shade. They were on a secluded part of an island in the Caribbean that no one in the realm knew about. It was pure bliss, wasting away while the ocean drifted along with them. They didn't have a care in the world.

"Just how long do we plan on staying here?" Noriko giggled slightly. "I think Valentine's Day is long past over." Tohma didn't answer, but fingered the exquisite necklace that Noriko had bought him. It must have cost a fortune, he knew that. For Noriko had somehow purchased it from the Demon Realm. It was a silver necklace, embedded with precious gems of all kinds, a sapphire here, an emerald there, and even some jewels Tohma had never seen before.

"We should go back to New York… someday." Tohma murmured, leaning his head back. He stared up at the beautiful blue sky. His life was perfect; he was at the zenith of his life. Nothing, nothing could invade his little world. Or so he foolishly thought…

But something had been plaguing Tohma's mind lately. He was going to ask Noriko's permission to take in his seal. It was the bravest thing he had ever done in his life. Tohma let out a deep breath and sat up, gently moving Noriko off him.

"Hey! What's the big deal?" Noriko scowled as Tohma hopped off the hammock, causing it to swing. "Waaaa!" Tohma grabbed onto it to cease the swaying. "Jeez. You really know how to ruin a moment." Tohma simply stood in front of Noriko, gazing at her fondly. "Toh-kun? What's wrong?" Noriko swung her legs over the side of the hammock.

"Noriko…" Tohma knelt down and grabbed onto her hands. "I have something important to ask you. I've wanted to ask you this for a long time. But I need you to be patient and sensibly analyze everything I'm about to tell you. Because you are about to make the most important decision in your entire life."

"W-what? Tohma, what's going on? I don't understand." Noriko was shaking slightly. She was scared; she didn't know what to think. She had never seen Tohma so serious before. What was Tohma about to tell her?

Tohma held his right hand out and whispered a few incoherent incantations. Noriko strained to hear what he was saying, but she couldn't hear a thing. But then his right hand started glowing bright red in the middle of his palm. The light slowly diminished until a tiny light was left. Tohma held his right hand high in the air and moved so that he that half of his body was bathed in sunbeams, while the other half was immersed in shadow.

"All beings that sever the ancient ties between mortality and immortality, I beseech you to grant my request. Allow my family's seal to be revealed!" Tohma shouted fiercely. His lifted right hand immediately burst into white and black flame, the white flame in the shade and the black flame in the sunlight.

Noriko let out a gasp at this supernatural display. _What on Earth is he doing? I thought he was going to explain things to me! He just jumps right in and uses some archaic spell!_ She watched with fascination and fear as the black and white flame rose from Tohma's hand and drifted so that it was directly above her head. _Why is it coming near me? What is Tohma about to do to me?_

"Noriko, every demon family has a family insignia, something that distinguishes them from every other demonic family. The seal is composed of the crystallized form of the family's blood and a symbol of some kind. In times of war, it was discovered that the seals had an amazing power. The seal has the power to tie anyone to its demonic family in the most powerful way possible: it can prolong the life of any being that it is inserted into.

"During war, ignorant humans were drafted to fight for us demons. In some cases, they became warriors and heroes. In other cases, they became friends and lovers. If a demonic family's seal is inserted into any human, that human will have the same life expectancy of that family. That human is immediately a part of that demonic family and only a direct blood relative can remove it. This was to prevent prejudiced, old-fashioned demons from killing off their new human relatives.

"Noriko, that fire above your head contains my family's seal. No one in my family has ever used a seal for a human before, because my family has been known for despising and killing humans. But I want you to live as long as I can. So that's why… I want you to take my seal so we can live together!" Tohma finished deeply.

Noriko sat on the hammock in shock, staring up at the fire. I can live for hundreds of years with Tohma? I won't die like a normal human? "Oh Tohma!" Noriko jumped up, but Tohma quickly pushed her down. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"The spell has been initiated. You cannot move from under the flame." Tohma said seriously. "You have to make your decision now. Do you accept?" _Please… please don't reject me... I've wanted to ask you this forever…_

"Yes, I accept! I want to live for hundreds and hundreds of years with you!" Noriko nodded earnestly, tears of joy in her eyes. Tohma smiled then, holding both hands out in front of him as if he was pushing gravity, or attempting to.

"Release!" Tohma shouted and the fire instantly extinguished itself, leaving a tiny, hovering stone behind. It was a blood red, circular jewel, no bigger than an eye's retina. Noriko instinctively held out her right hand and the jewel lowered itself into her hand. "Now then. Put it wherever you want, but never forget where it is."

Noriko held the stone up, inspecting it. The stone had some kind of symbol on the inside and she brought it closer to her face to see it. There was an insignia on the inside of the seal: two unsheathed, silver swords making an "X" with the handles facing upwards, a black five-pointed star above it, a purple moon crescent to the left, a gold heart below, and a ridge-covered blue sun to the right.

_This stone… it's so small, yet so significant. It holds the key to the end of my mortality. As a matter of fact… once I take this in, I won't age anymore. I'll be twenty-eight forever. Do I really want to do that? Go against nature's wishes for my own personal desires? _One look at Tohma's hopeful face was all she needed. Without thinking, Noriko held the stone right in front of her right eye. The seal inserted itself inside her and she instantaneously felt renewed.

"Can I move now?" Oddly enough, Noriko didn't even feel the stone inside her eye. She didn't feel any discomfort at all. But she did feel invincible, as if her life was complete. Tohma's eyes filled with tears.

"N-Noriko… you did it." Tohma grabbed onto Noriko tightly, holding him close to her. "I'm so glad… I was afraid you wouldn't do it…"

"Idiot! Why would I give up a chance to live with you forever?" Noriko smiled gently. _He was scared. Oh Tohma…_

**_(End Flashback) _**

**_

* * *

_**

Tohma stood up, unable to bear the cruel nostalgia anymore. Things were so perfect back then. It was just him and Noriko… and their unborn baby, the baby whose existence they didn't even know about. He wished he could return to that time, when they worried about nothing.

He couldn't take this anymore. How long were they going to keep him here? Was he going to get the death penalty? Or would he be forced to wither away in the stone jail that was taking in more of his sanity by the nanosecond? And would he… would he ever be able to apologize to Shuichi?

"Let me out! Let me out!" Tohma screamed out, banging on the walls, knowing that it was a futile effort. "Let me out!" No one was coming to see him. How long would he have to suffer alone? Did anyone even care? After all he had done, who would? But were his sins too grave to be forgiven?

Tohma froze as he heard soft footsteps coming from outside his cell. Did he wake Ayaka up? Or perhaps it was Lord Nakano? "Toh…kun?" Tohma watched in shock as Noriko, the real one, stopped in front of his cell. Those cruel metal bars that separated them from each other… that could not be broken by ordinary magic. Tohma threw himself at the bars, his eyes widening with disbelief.

"Noriko… what are you doing here?" Tohma knelt down so that he could stare Noriko in the face. She was openly crying, her tears falling on the bitter hard ground. "Where is… what's going on?" For some reason, now that Noriko was here he felt calmer. Instantly.

"Oh Tohma… everything is falling apart…" Noriko sobbed, grasping onto the metal bars tightly. "Tetsuya gave… he gave my daughter to Crimson! My little girl is staying with a killer… Why would he do this? My Saki… what will become of her? Doesn't he care about the welfare of his own child?"

"Noriko, what happened? Tell me what happened!" Tohma was extremely confused and yet scared at the same time. Something else was going on, something bigger than him. And he had a feeling he knew what it was. It all made sense now. The prophecy Shu himself revealed to Tohma ages ago. _I turned out just as he said I would… I didn't deserve his compassion. Miyuki... _"Noriko, calm yourself."

"Don't you dare tell me to calm myself!" Noriko shrieked out wildly. "What happened to you? How could you do such a thing?"

"Did you come here to condemn me or to seek comfort?" Tohma frowned slightly. How easily he had slipped back to rationality now that his soul mate was with him. Noriko was amazing. "Now tell me what's going on. This has to do with Shuichi." Tohma knew it even before Noriko nodded her amethyst head.

Noriko took a deep breath and wiped her tears away. She slowly began telling Tohma everything that happened after he was taken away by the guards. "A few hours after I left, Reiko herself came to my room and we had a long talk. She promised to take care of Saki, to treat her as her own daughter. I'm relieved but…"

"That's not all Reiko told you." Tohma said matter-of-factly. "What of Shuichi?" _Is that teenager really the son of Shu?_

"How do you know… I'm not even going to ask…" Noriko shuddered slightly, scratching her head. "We have a new resident at the castle. His name is Taziel and he's the Angel of Death. Not too long after I left, Tetsuya ordered Tatsuha and Saki away. Taziel appeared and attacked Crimson, shooting him with a deadly arrow. Reiko was really pissed off…"

Noriko began repeating every word that Reiko told her, from Ryuichi fighting Taziel to the revelation of Shuichi's death to Crimson's true identity: Naytievanol and so on and so forth. Needless to say, Tohma's head was spinning by the time Noriko finished.

"Tohma… if he really is the One… the offense you've committed…" Noriko closed her eyes. "I don't want to think about it…"

"Noriko. I'm sorry." Tohma frowned. This was certainly an interesting turn of events. So the Nadir Wars were closing in on them. This was not good. A lot of pieces were coming together. "What's going on now?"

"Taziel is training Crimson, preparing him for separation. He said that Shuichi is undergoing training as well. Meanwhile, Crimson is training Saki, under Reiko's supervision." Noriko took a deep breath. "When Yuki found out… about Shuichi's death… you should've seen the look on his face. Tohma… do you really love him? Because I think… I think that Yuki cares for him."

"I've always loved Eiri… but I was never _in_ love with him." Tohma answered sullenly. "I've never allowed myself to love anyone else."

"Then you did all that for nothing? What's wrong with you? What has become of you?" Noriko stood up angrily. "Tohma… I don't know you anymore." Tohma's fragile heart shattered. More tears sprung to his eyes and he didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Is that all you came here for? To mock me?" Tohma rose up. "You're not real! You can't be Noriko! She would never-" He sunk back onto the floor, holding his knees to his chest and sobbing.

"Tohma…" Noriko's eyebrows were raised. _He's more hurt than I thought… He needs more help than Reiko. And I… Oh God! I can't believe I said that to him! How could I be so insensitive?_ "Tohma, I'm sorry… Please, talk to me. Like we used to. Let me know what's wrong."

"Everything's wrong. I had to watch… watch as you continued your life with him, acting like everything was okay! I had to make love to a woman I despised, who I wished would just die so I could steal you away! I had to watch you from afar, only seeing you at gatherings… and I couldn't bear to look at your daughter." Tohma laughed. "It broke me, but I never showed it. I just kept on doing my job with a fake smile plastered onto my face. I rose higher, achieved more than my father ever did. I gave into sin and evil.

"I tried to extinguish the pain by focusing only on Eiri, another innocent soul destroyed because of me… I cherished him, treated him like a doll. And the fool… he fell for Kitzawa instead of me. He trusted him, put him on a higher pedestal than me. And look where that got him. Kitzawa was of a lower class, he was just a brilliant mind hired to educate Eiri in preparation for his inheritance.

"I thought Kitzawa could be trusted… but he betrayed us all. He summoned his disgusting cronies one night and raped Eiri right in front of them. They all laughed in his face, the firstborn son of Lord Lucifer being sodomized by a mere plebeian. Eiri was my responsibility and I failed him miserably. The object of my affection hated me, but I was the only one who truly understood him. So I remained at his side for all this time, pretending to love him…" Tohma broke off dejectedly.

"Tohma, what happened to Yuki wasn't your fault!" Noriko shouted fiercely, clenching her fists. "It was Kitzawa's decision, not yours! The only thing you did wrong was use Yuki as a barrier to protect you from the world. Tohma, don't you think I've suffered? But I never gave to darkness. You have to climb out of that dark hole, Tohma. You have to!"

"You make it sound like my life is a picnic. Do you have any idea the pressure put on me after my father was sealed away? Nothing but perfection was expected. I was to rise above my father, build my reputation, exceed everyone's ludicrous expectations." Tohma hissed back angrily. "You had it easy!"

"Excuse me? How dare you say something like that? You insensitive prick! For your information, I had it _much_ harder than you! Would you be able to bear living in a realm full of demons that despise every breath you take? Do you have any idea how many countless times the other females called me a slut, a whore, for receiving your seal? How I didn't deserve to live, how I was a filthy waste of life, how I cheated you out of your seal, how I turned you gay because I had no sex skill!" Noriko screamed back, stomping on the floor in anger.

"How every day I get looked down upon, disrespected and the worst part is… I can't fight back! I don't have any powers like you do! No one protects from them! All those stupid bigots can beat me all they want, inflict any pain upon me… and I won't die… And Tetsuya didn't even care. He won't protect me, he won't make them stop. I'm living with a ghost. A soulless, cruel ghost!

"And my daughter… I can't do anything to help her either. She was constantly tormented by the other demon children, unfairly brainwashed by their ignorant parents and I couldn't protect my baby. That's why… that's why I always sent her away to Judy. And now… I've lost her. Maybe she'll be better off with them." Noriko let out a long sigh.

"N-Noriko…" Tohma's eyes widened with shock. "Wow… we haven't talked for so long. I'm glad we both cleared that up."

"Is that all you can say you jerk?" Noriko screamed back at him. "What are you going to do to help me? Tohma… I can't take much more of this… With the Nadir Wars coming… who knows what'll happen to me…"

"Noriko, I'm sorry." Tohma said sincerely, wishing that he could hold her. "I'm going to tell you something that happened to me the day they found us. I wish I could have told you of this long ago… But I couldn't. It must've been… about a month after I gave you the seal. We were in the Bahamas at that time…"

* * *

**_(Begin Flashback)_**

Tohma was sitting on the white sand, watching the turquoise water rise up and fall back, crashing against the white specks. Noriko was playing around in the water not too far away from her. They were at yet another private, secluded beach. The sky was filled with white, puffy clouds moving along. It was yet another perfect day in their paradise. But it was about to end very shortly.

"TOH-KUUUUUUUUN!" Noriko squealed from the ocean, waving excitedly. She was wearing a white bikini with pink polka dots all over it. Tohma himself had a pair of simple blue swim trunks on. "Come on, already!"

Shaking his head slightly, Tohma got up, brushing the sand off him. That was when he felt it. That foreboding presence. _It couldn't be… Impossible! _Tohma looked around worriedly, checking for any sign of… "Noriko, get over here now!" He shouted hurriedly, beckoning to her.

"What's wrong, Tohma?" Noriko shouted back, already making her way towards him. Tohma's eyes widened. Something was heading straight at her. A black ball pulsing with purple electricity was zipping at Noriko, the force from it parting the water, much like Moses parting the Red Sea.

Tohma jumped in the air and flew right past Noriko, causing her to turn around. He soared towards the energy ball, quickly summoning a weapon to destroy it. A sword appeared in his hands and he sliced right through the energy ball just as it reached him. This seemed to cause a chain reaction, as the sky immediately darkened and the wind picked up, creating bigger and bigger waves by the second.

Tohma flew back over to Noriko and clutched her protectively to him, still gripping the sword tightly. "Tohma, what's going on?" Noriko shivered in fear.

"My father found us." Tohma scowled darkly, trying to control his anger. "And he brought friends." As if on cue, lightning struck the ocean, which was churning and creating even huger, more vicious waves than before.

Tohma flew them both to shore and set her behind him. A gigantic, blazing meteor descended from the black sky and burst into tiny fireballs. The fireballs whirled around until they became one huge fireball. The fireball let out a mighty shriek and all the fireballs exploded, giving off an abundance of heat and light.

When all the smoke cleared, a massive phoenix was flapping its mighty wings high above them. "N-Nuri…" Tohma whispered in trepidation, backing away slightly. The grand phoenix was in his presence. Nuri's whole body was pure gold, except for his eyes, his feathers, and his tail. His eyes were a fierce red with some gold flecks. Nuri's wingspan could probably circle around an entire house. His long golden wings were tinted with black and edges had red fire all over them.

Nuri's long, curvy tail extended so far down it almost touched the ocean. It was gold, of course, but was covered in silvery shimmering particles. His mighty beak looked as though it could bite through and pick up even the tallest building and his talons? They could most likely slice through anything!

"Why is he here?" Tohma asked himself worriedly. "What's going on?" He grit his teeth angrily, sensing Noriko's panic.

"You are being judged! Atone for you sins!" A voice shouted out sternly, coming from… the ocean? It certainly looked ferocious enough, carrying ten foot waves, ruthlessly crashing upon the sand. Lightning continued to strike the ocean, agitating it even more.

A new being appeared above the ocean, not too far away from Tohma and Noriko. It was a male demon lord. He was old, for his hair was gray and his green eyes were hardened with cruel wisdom. He wore an ominous black robe and carried a huge, old book in his arms. The demon slowly floated towards him.

"Tohma Seguchi. You have committed a high offense. You went against your father's wishes and acted rashly. You took in a human and abandoned our ways. You gave her your family's seal without consulting your father. What say you?" The demon read all of Tohma's offenses from the book.

"Tohma…" Noriko whimpered fearfully.

"Silence wench!" The demon held out a hand and a black lightning bolt struck the ground not too far from them, making Noriko shriek. "SILENCE!"

"Noriko, it's okay. You're not in trouble, I am." Tohma turned his head to look at her. Noriko grabbed onto his waist tightly and tried to hide her face in his back. She was terrified; she couldn't stop shaking. "This was bound to happen sometime." Their paradise had been slaughtered.

"What say you?" The demon repeatedly turbulently, sending out more lightning bolts in their area. Tohma didn't flinch, even when Nuri let out an angry shriek, sending fireballs everywhere.

"I am not my father's pawn!" Tohma said fiercely, gripping his sword, prepared to fight. _I might be able to defeat this old one… but Nuri?_

"That will not be necessary." A new voice said from behind Tohma. Noriko let out a squeal and clung even closer to Tohma. Tohma turned around, knowing his father had finally decided to show. Lord Seguchi, in all his horrific glory, strolled towards him calmly. "We merely came here to settle things."

Lord Seguchi smirked at the fear on Noriko's face. "I told you what would happen if you disregarded our laws, woman. Prepare to face-" He broke off. "You fool!" He summoned a small dagger and threw it at Tohma, who easily blocked it with his sword. "You gave her the seal?" The lord's black eyes became red with fury. "YOU GAVE A HUMAN MY SEAL?"

"It wasn't yours to give." Tohma snarled maliciously. The old demon sent out three more lightning bolts in his direction. Tohma picked Noriko up and jumped to avoid them. That was when he remembered. There was only one demon that was notorious for mastering lightning manipulation: Lord Tetsuya Ukai!

"SEGUCHI! CALM YOURSELF!" Nuri bellowed ferociously. "DELIVER THE PUNISHMENT!" Tohma held Noriko tighter, praying for her safety and his.

"As punishment for these crimes, the half-breed growing in that human will be annihilated." Lord Ukai read from the book. "Tohma Seguchi will be forced into service under Lord Lucifer in the military. The human will be perpetually placed under my supervision."

"What? I'm pregnant?" Noriko gasped out loud. _When did this happen?_

"Exactly one month ago on the fourteenth of February, your half-breed child was conceived." Lord Ukai sniffed in disgust. "Another abomination!"

_Noriko is pregnant? Since when? _Tohma was in shock. This certainly put a new twist on things. _My child… is being threatened. I will NOT let them…_Who was he kidding? He couldn't do anything about it. His child was about to be slaughtered. Tohma was desperate. Everything he had going for him was about to be destroyed. But the life of his innocent, unborn child? The child deserved life!

There was only one thing left to do. Tohma slowly descended to the ground, setting Noriko on her feet. _I can't believe I'm about to do this…_ Tohma knelt down on the sand, placing his hands on the sand as if he was bowing down.

"DO NOT BEG! YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!" Nuri shrieked angrily, sending out a huge fireball at Tohma and Noriko. Tohma whispered a quick spell, creating a transparent barrier around them.

"Don't worry, Noriko. We're safe." Tohma whispered from the ground. "I need you to be quite for now." He took a deep breath and tried to recall those ancient words… "Shu, Being of Resilience, Protector of the Abused and the Forlorn, I call upon you from my despondent place among the living. Up from heaven, you guard all half-demons from your eternal resting place. I beg of you, great Shu, honor my humbled request." Tohma finished, but still stayed on the ground. "Please… spare my child's life…" He added quietly, in a wretched whisper.

The entire sky turned white, blinding everyone. The ocean calmed and the lightning ceased. Tohma felt himself being lifted up somewhere. He found himself surrounded by the light and had to cover his eyes from fear of losing his eyesight.

"Why should I help you? I have seen what you will become." A voice said loudly. "Let me tell you of your future, Tohma Seguchi. You will give into darkness and depression. You will lose yourself, you will forget this day, the paradise you once had. You will commit a high offense against me and the One! Because of you, my only fated disciple will undergo the most horrible experience imaginable. Because of you, he will lose more of his body, mind and soul to your insignificant jealous mind! So tell me, Tohma Seguchi. Why should I help you?"

"Please… do not judge me for what I have not done yet. I only ask that you spare my child's life. Even if I will turn to sin… my child deserves to live. That unborn baby is the manifestation of our love for each other." Tohma begged.

"I beg of you, do not punish my baby for my mistakes!" Tohma was so upset he didn't know what else to say. Was he really going to become such a horrible being? Was his destiny that dark?

"Hmmm… a valid point. But you are asking me to do something very difficult." The voice, Shu said curiously. "Yes, this will be very difficult for everyone. I will spare you daughter's life."

_It's a girl? How can he possibly know that? _But even as he thought that, there was a grin on Tohma's face. Everything was going to be okay.

"Do not rejoice yet!" Shu snapped sternly. "I can save your daughter, but you will still be punished for these future crimes! To separate an unborn baby this early from the womb and a half-demon at that? Very dangerous, to both the mother and the child. Your daughter will be saved, but she will be born comatose, for there will be no soul inside of her body. To extract a soul this early in her life will cause cataclysmic repercussions, so I can only remove her body. She will remain comatose until a chosen phoenix dies and bestows its soul. But know this… in order for her to live, three lives will be lost. Are you willing to make that exchange, that sacrifice?"

"Yes, I am. As long as my daughter can live." Tohma took a deep breath. So there were stipulations. But who cares? His daughter was going to live!

"Name your daughter." Shu commanded.

Tohma bit his lip, thinking of the perfect name. Then he remembered: the night of Valentine's Day, it had begun to snow. The pure whiteness had made their celebration even more perfect. It had mesmerized them both with its beauty.

"Miyuki. That is my daughter's name." Tohma spoke clearly. He moved his left arm, still using his other to shield his eyes. He yanked the necklace Noriko gave him off his neck and held it up in the air. "Please, give this to her so that I may identify her later."

"As you wish." Shu said mysteriously and Tohma felt the necklace leave his fingers. "You will return to the Human Realm now."

"Thank you…" Tohma smiled in relief. The ordeal was over…

"You must do something for me. When you learn the identity of the One, guide him to your cousin." Shu ordered. "Your cousin will play an important role in this."

"Which one?" Tohma was confused. Shu needed something from him?

"The one who controls nature and all her children." Shu said enigmatically. "I hope I am not making a mistake… Tell no one of this until you learn of the One." And with that, Tohma blacked out.

Tohma opened his eyes. He was lying facedown on the sand. Noriko was kneeling on the ground next to him. He turned over and stared up at the black sky. "You're okay! What happened to you?" Noriko had tears of relief in her eyes. Then suddenly, her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out.

"Noriko!" Tohma reached out to grab her, but for some reason stopped at the last instant. Noriko's stomach began glowing and a tiny white light exited from her belly button. He stared in shock as his unborn baby girl rose high in the air, past his father and Lord Ukai.

"What is that?" Lord Ukai wrinkled his nose in disgust. Lord Seguchi flew in the air, trying to catch it.

"IT IS THE UNBORN CHILD! HE HAS CALLED UPON SHU!" Nuri screeched angrily. The white light zipped up in the air even higher. It was out of sight before anyone could catch it. "YOU STRUCK A DEAL WITH HIM?"

Noriko stirred and woke up. "T-Tohma? What happened to me?" Noriko looked around, feeling slightly confused.

"I did nothing of the sort." Tohma stood and pulled Noriko to her feet. "Now then, aren't you going to punish me?" Noriko stared at him in shock.

**_(End Flashback) _**

**_

* * *

_**

"He was right about me… I didn't deserve his help." Tohma hung his head in shame. _Now that I know who the One is, I have to bring him to Suguru._

"I always wondered what happened to your necklace…" Noriko cocked her head to one side. "But I can't believe it! Somewhere, our baby is still alive! Oh Tohma, there's hope for us yet."

Tohma raised an eyebrow in reply, causing Noriko to blush. "I didn't mean… I meant… oh I don't know anymore!" Noriko threw her hands in the air. "Do you still love me Tohma?"

"Would I still be here if I didn't?" Tohma replied, his eyebrow still raised.

"What do you mean?" Noriko gripped onto the metal bars, leaning forward.

"This whole time… ever since we were forced to part, you were the only thing keeping me alive." Tohma lowered his eyes to the ground. "I probably would've committed suicide a long time ago."

"Tohma…" Noriko smiled gently, resting her forehead against the bars. "I wish I could yank these off… I want to be with you so badly. I don't care about scandal or-"

"I wouldn't be able to protect you." Tohma cut in. "I'm already in trouble as it is. I don't need any more offenses under my belt."

"Well, I don't care!" Noriko pulled on the bars. "I want you and I'm going to have you and if anyone has a problem with it-"

"Actually, I do." A new voice said from behind Noriko. She jumped and turned around, only to see Ryuichi there. "Are you going to fight me, Noriko?"

"Ryuichi? What are you doing here?" Noriko jumped up and gave him a hug. "How are you and Tatsuha doing?" Tohma looked away from Ryuichi, sensing the demon's utter hatred for him.

"Don't change the subject." Ryuichi said sternly, but hugged her back all the same. "What are you doing with _him_?" Tohma flinched at this.

"I love him, Ryuichi. You may hate him for what he did to Shuichi and I haven't forgotten it either, but… he's not perfect, Ryuichi. He's far from it and he needs me." Noriko broke away from Ryuichi and glared at him. "And if you can't forgive your best friend, then leave!"

Ryuichi's eyes widened in shock, but then darkened. "I have no intention of forgiving him." Ryuichi turned around so he wouldn't have to see either of their hurt faces. He made a waving motion with his hand and the bars trapping Tohma in his cell expanded. Noriko let out a squeal and jumped right inside, tackling Tohma to the ground. The bars closed right after her. "I'll let Akuma know you're staying here." And with that Ryuichi vanished.

Tohma was currently in shock. Noriko was on top of him, holding onto him as tightly as possible, fresh tears slipping from her cheeks. "See, Tohma. He can't be _that_ mad at you." Noriko grinned and kissed Tohma's neck.

Tohma blinked and then smiled. He put an arm around Noriko's waist. _Maybe he doesn't…_ Tohma knew that Ryuichi was going to make sure they weren't disturbed. No one dared override an authorization from Lord Lucifer. I _owe you one, Ryuichi. I'll be sure to pay you back as soon as Shuichi gets back from Hell._

"I love you, Tohma." Noriko giggled as Tohma sat up, lifting her as well. "So… what do you want to do now?" Tohma sat Indian-style, using the wall for back support. Noriko was sitting on top of his legs, straddling him. She had her arms securely fastened around the blonde's neck.

"Anything but Mistress of Pain…" Tohma mumbled before he could stop himself, earning a loud guffaw from Noriko.

"Aw jeez!" Noriko playfully smacked Tohma in the shoulder. "And we had the perfect setting, too. A dark, scary jail cell surrounds our favorite docile victim, Toh-kun. Officer… no Lieutenant Nori-chan has come to deliver dominance upon our lovable blonde. Watch as Lt. Nori-chan stalks in, showing off her luscious legs-"

"You need a hobby." Tohma rolled his eyes, but he was blushing from the mental images. "You're such a pervert."

"Only for you, Toh-kun." Noriko chuckled, leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. "You're my reason for living."

"And vice versa." Tohma smiled, wrapping his arms around the… no _his_ woman's waist. "But can we refrain from sexual activity tonight? We do have a lot of catching up to do."

"Aw." Noriko pouted cutely and let out a long sigh. "Oh well. I waited for practically a century. What's one more night?" Noriko detached her arms from his neck and twisted so that her back was leaning against Tohma's chest. "Hey Tohma, remember the time we went to that Halloween party in Brooklyn?"

"How could I forget? I was wearing _your_ clothes." Tohma said flatly, frowning slightly. "I had no idea skirts were that short…"

"Aw come on, admit it! Your outfit was hot! I'll bet all the other Cinderella's were jealous." Noriko let out another laugh. "None of them had curves like you!"

"I wanted to be Sleeping Beauty!" Tohma shouted crossly. And so, the two continued sharing memories, talking until they fell asleep in each other's arms…

And we're finished! Now I'm not writing a St. Patrick's Day Special, b/c I'd have no idea how to incorporate that into Gravitation lol. So next up, Chapter Fourteen: Of Water Lilies and Ice! Shuichi and Apollyon spend more time w/ each other and our fav. pink guy becomes more skilled in the ways of water manipulation. See you then!


	20. Chapter 14: Of Water Lilies and Ice

**Hello everyone! Lol sorry this update took so long. But as I said in the last chapter, I've been editing. Lol I only made it to Chapter Nine. I was working on it and my Mom comes in and she's like "Clean the house." And I'm thinking "Are you flipping kidding me? I was on a role here!" But seriously... living with parentals is a drag. She totally ruined my Saturday... That's why I can't wait to go away to college. So I can clean when I flipping feel like it lol. **

**To AngelofLight-** Lol you'll see Yuki's reaction eventually, but not in this chapter or the next one. So you have a bit of a wait, sorry!

**To Luciferian-**Glad you liked it. And their kid plays an important role much later. wink, wink

**To Krazy Kitsune13**- Lol please don't kill the bunny! I like bunnies! See, here! It's my new chappie. So...the bunny lives, ne?

**To Rae Anderson-** Hi! See, see, I wrote more! jumps around in hyperactive way) Oooh, you think it's awesome? Thankies!

**To Aki no Yume1**- Lol yeah, I have a weird imagination. It's all the Buffy and the Kyou Kara Maou and Charmed and the Witch Hunter Robin and Xena and Evangelion I watch. Most likely the music I listen to as well.

**To Luciver**- Lol you left two reviews so I'll leave you a long message. As for the D.N. Angel, I only read like two volumes of the manga, so I wouldn't know. I don't think I ever saw the anime, either. I'll take your word for it. And no, Yuki can't go looking for Shuichi, b/c this is his test. Demons can't interfere in Angel's affairs. I'm not sure if he'll blatantly apologize... that just doesn't seem like Yuki. But yeah, in a couple chapters, we'll find out what Shu means to Yuki. Lol and try not to fall over again.

_**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: **_

_**OF WATER LILIES AND ICE **_

Shuichi and Apollyon had finally reached the end of the cave. Needless to say, there was some rejoicing on Shuichi's part. They were standing right in the mouth of the cave. Shuichi was still shivering, even though Apollyon was extremely close to him. Shuichi could see the dark desert on the ground and about a million stars in the sky for miles. It was truly an amazing sight.

"I've never seen so many at once…" Shuichi didn't recognize any of them, but that was okay. They were in Hell after all. So it was safe to assume that this realm had its own constellations. "Look, 'Pollyon! That one looks like two remote controls fighting over a television!"

"It could be two drumsticks and a drum." Apollyon pointed out, only slightly annoyed that Shuichi had already given him a pet name. _I'm the Angel of Hell… and a pink puff ball just gave me an epithet. What is the world coming to?_

"Really?" Shuichi's purple orbs were lined with awe. He leaned his head against Apollyon's shoulder and let out a sigh. "I never thought I'd say this, but Hell is beautiful. Hey, can the beings in Purgatory and Saiaku see this, too?"

"Some in Purgatory, none in Saiaku." Apollyon answered curtly, starting to become impatient. _He asks more questions than a… That's not the point. _"Well, Shuichi, what do you wish to do? Are we going to stand here forever or do you want to continue our journey? On one hand, if we start out now, we'll cover more ground. Most beings will be sleeping by now and some can't see in the dark at all."

"But on the other hand, it's really cold out there. And plus, how many beings actually _need_ to sleep in Hell? I think we should stay here for the rest of the night. I'd rather fight what I can see." Shuichi crossed his arms over his chest. Apollyon cocked his visible eyebrow and slowly nodded.

"I like the way you think. Analytical, in your own roundabout way." Apollyon smirked and ruffled Shuichi's bright pink hair. Shuichi grinned up at him.

"So… in that case, can we train?" Shuichi asked hopefully. "Cuz I really, really wanna learn how to fly! Can we, can we?" The arched eyebrow was back. Apollyon didn't know what to think of this kid.

"You'd rather fight than sleep." Apollyon shook his head.

"I'm too restless." Shuichi whined. "I'd be tossing and turning all night, or what's left of it. Come on, come on, come on!"

Apollyon had no choice but to grant the boy's request. He didn't need sleep after all. But he needed to figure out Shuichi's limits. Because no matter what the half-demon said, it was essential that he get some rest.

"Alright then." Apollyon said, sitting down on the sandy ground. Shuichi copied him, looking slightly confused. "Your power is water manipulation, correct? You can convert water into any liquid you want. You make any fluid materialize out of the air, yes?"

"Uh… yeah." Shuichi nodded his head slowly.

"Can you summon a water nymph?" Apollyon frowned. "Can you make water turn into ice or vapor? Can you change its temperature at will? Can you form a shield with water? Can you make a clone of yourself using only water molecules? Can you make it rain?"

"No!" Shuichi shouted, a bit upset that he couldn't do any of these things. Well, maybe he could control the temperature, but only with extreme concentration.

"Well then. Before you start fighting me, you must learn to do half of these things." Apollyon smiled. _We're getting somewhere at least._ "Pick the three you would like to learn and we will begin. Only after you learn these three will we leave the cave."

"W-what? That could take months!" Shuichi's mouth dropped. _Okay, starting to regret my words. But imagine… if I could summon a water nymph… _"Wait, when will I learn the other three skills?"

"As we are traveling in the desert, you will learn the rest." Apollyon grinned evilly. "Only at night, of course. If beings during the day were to catch us training with water, they would surely come after us."

"I would like to water turn into ice and vapor, change its temperature and form a shield with it. That seems like basic stuff. Once I learn how to do that, the hard stuff should become slightly easier, right?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side. "That way, I'll be able to understand water better, so it'll be easier to manipulate."

"Very well. In order for you to understand water, there is some science involved. You see the air? It's made up of invisible elements in the air, spreading about everywhere. Air is made up of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, argon, neon, helium, and even carbon dioxide. Now, out of all these, which two make up water?" Apollyon turned to his new student, who actually looked like he was concentrating.

"Uh…" Shuichi had a blank look on his face. _Crap… this is where my amnesia kicks in. I'm sure Mom taught me this when I was younger… If only I wasn't so useless. Now I have to learn this all over again._ "I'm sorry… I don't know."

"Do you know the formula for water?" Apollyon could see the distressed look on the boy's face, and decided to give him a break.

"H2O!" Shuichi burst out immediately. _Woohoo! Score one for the puff ball! Go me, go me! _"Okay, can we keep the questions easy like that?"

"Every element has its own symbol. Water is a molecule, therefore, it is composed of two elements. Now, you know the formula. All you need to do is pick two of the most likely elements that I named before." Apollyon smiled gently.

"So… that means it's not carbon dioxide?" Shuichi asked tentatively. Apollyon nodded quickly. _Okay. H and O. Well… nitrogen and neon… I don't think so… Not argon either. That leaves me with… helium, hydrogen, and oxygen. Hy… He. Hy… he. Hy… he. H2O. H2O Two helium, one oxygen. Two hydrogen, one oxygen. _"Hydrogen and oxygen?"

_Took you long enough… It's going to be a LONG night… _Apollyon inwardly sighed, but nodded his approval. "Good. Now you know that the components of water are in the air you breathe. That means no matter where you are, you can make water. So that is your advantage. Next, water's three stages: liquid, solid, and gas. What do you know about them?"

"Water can't become plasma?" Shuichi questioned, remembering that stars were made of it. "Uh… well fog makes it really hard for someone to see…"

"Okay…" Apollyon was near tears at this moment. Was the boy eight years old or eighteen? Then again, he did have amnesia. "Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, becoming ice and boils at 100 degrees Celsius, becoming vapor. In order to be able to maneuver the water into its other two stages, you need to be able to control the intensity of the temperature. That is what you will learn first."

"Okay." Shuichi nodded quickly, eager to learn. "What do I do?"

"Stand up." Apollyon ordered and the half-demon obeyed. "Close your eyes and I want you to form water in the shape of a ball. Make it as big as a globe, the kind that humans use in er… geography or something."

Shuichi pictured a spinning globe in his head and imagined that it was a world completely full of water. There wasn't any land, mountains, islands, volcanoes; only water remained. He could see it clearly. A light blue ball was spinning around in his head.

"Now I want you to gradually make it stop spinning." Apollyon was slightly impressed by the boy's ability. _Part of his power comes from his imagination. Good thing he's so immature._ "All of that water is made of up miniscule H2O's. All of them are the same temperature. I want you to picture them getting colder and colder. When particles get colder, they move slower and all the particles become packed together in a crystal lattice. I need you to pack all those tiny water particles very close together. That's it."

Apollyon watched in amazement as the blue globe began glowing and slowly contracting. It was losing its flow, its liquidity rather quickly. The globe began losing its circular shape and began to look more like a cube. Finally, the water stopped moving completely. Apollyon found himself looking at a huge ice cube.

"Excellent. Open your eyes, Shuichi." Apollyon smirked. _He's a fast learner and a good listener. He's able to apply what he hears very well. _To put it frankly, Shuichi was almost the perfect student. _If only his attention span was longer…_

Shuichi opened his eyes and saw an ice cube right in front of him. "I did that?" He reached out a hand to touch it and jumped. The ice cube was _freezing_ cold. He felt as if the breath had been taken out of him just by touching it. "Did I teleport that from Antarctica or something?"

"Do you remember how you did that?" Apollyon asked Shuichi after he was done staring at his mini-glacier. The boy nodded proudly. "Good. Now we are going to the other extreme. You need to thaw the ice completely. You are going to skip water's liquid form. That ice shall become water vapor, mist, gas, fog, etc., whatever it becomes- as long as it is NOT a liquid.

"You are going to apply a lot of heat to the ice cube. This is going to be a bit harder for you do to due to your Mother's roots. Note this and note this well: It will _always_ be easier for you to freeze water than to boil it. Your demonic father _controls_ all aspects of winter, including ice, but your mother was human and often used fire in her attacks. She had no power over it, she could not conjure it; she simply _used_ it.

"You might have inherited that ability to use it, but you will eventually gain more control over the element than she because of your demonic blood. It will take a great deal of concentration and willpower to do this for the first time. But once you find your way, it will progressively become easier.

"Begin!" Apollyon crossed his arms over his chest and watched Shuichi, who had closed his eyes again.

_Jeez… Makes me wish my Mom was human._ Shuichi smiled to himself, knowing that he would never want his mother to change at all. As a matter of fact, he couldn't wait to see her again in Ichiban. The fact that a piece of his mother was in him and he didn't even know it until now brought the brightest smile to his face. He _had_ something of hers; he could _use_ part of her power. Seki was in him.

And so, Shuichi's love for his deceased mother was actually his fuel to change his previously frozen ice cube into gray mist that flowed about the mouth of the cave, expanding more by the nanosecond. Apollyon's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. It was unnerving how strong Shuichi was.

_Does he even realize how powerful he is? _Apollyon frowned, looking up at the fog that was enveloping him. The High Angels had scheduled, had predicted how long it would take the boy to master each new aspect of his power. So far, they were wrong. The High Angels had underestimated the boy by a great deal. Shuichi's power was growing rapidly and his determination was growing as well.

"Enough." Apollyon said as the fog began to extend backwards into the cave.

Shuichi's purple orbs popped open and they immediately grew wide. "Wow!" He stared in awe at all the silvery vapor around him. He felt surreal, staring at his work. A sense of pride entered him, pride that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

"You've successfully accomplished two new skills, temperature fluctuation and changing water's state of matter. Now you need to apply these things in order to protect yourself. This requires speed and accuracy. You must be a fast thinker, but think too hastily as to be reckless. You have power, Shuichi and you must wield it carefully. Is that understood?" Apollyon smiled at the serious look on Shuichi's face. _He really is taking this seriously… that's a good thing._

"Yup, I understand! I'm ready." Shuichi's hands became fists. _I have to be tough!_ His lips formed a serious pout, the cutest thing that Apollyon had ever seen in his life. It took all of his resolve not to laugh.

"No, you're not." Apollyon wove his hand and all the fog around them multiplied sevenfold. It was deeper and thicker, making it impossible for Shuichi to see at all. "You need to observe all your surroundings because you never know when one of your senses may be cut off. I'm going to come at you now. Remember: this is _defensive_ training. The time to attack will come soon enough."

"Why can't we fight regularly?" Shuichi looked around for Apollyon, but it was useless. He couldn't tell where the angel's voice was coming from. _Maybe if I keep him talking for long enough…_

"Because as of now, you are most vulnerable while attacking and the moment you cease to attack." Apollyon shook his head, smiling amusedly. My little strategist is trying to find me. "Anything else before we begin?" Silence was his answer. Apollyon rose from his standing position and began slowly flying around. The boy was being unusually silent; he couldn't even hear the half-demon breathing.

Shuichi stayed completely still, reading to erect an ice barrier. _While he's distracted by the ice, I have to get rid of all the fog. He'll be vulnerable because he's attacking. But afterwards I won't be able to hide from him anymore, but he won't be able to sneak up on me either. _He could've sworn he heard one of Apollyon's wings flap. Maybe he was going crazy waiting for the angel to finally attack.

The attack finally came. Shuichi heard and felt it before it came into his line of vision. A huge red, yellow, and orange ball pulsing with fire energy was heading straight for him. Shuichi jumped in the air and held both his hands out. Water immediately flew out of his hands at the fireball, surrounded it completely, and then froze, trapping the fireball inside. The ice clattered noisily to the ground.

Shuichi gracefully landed back on the ground, completely unharmed. While in the air, he tried to catch sight of Apollyon, but no such luck. He silently cursed to himself. _He's attacking me with mobile energy, shooting it towards me so I can't tell where it's coming from or where he is. He could be anywhere. Kuso!_ Shuichi growled slightly, looking around.

Out of the blue, ten fireballs came flying at him. Shuichi jumped in the air, but these fireballs actually _followed_ him. Shuichi leapt and ran around, trying to avoid the fire. He was creating noise and that was bad. Why? Because about ten more fireballs were zooming at him. Shuichi jumped up and held onto a piece of rock jutting out of the wall. All the fire was headed his way. There was only one thing to do: face it.

Shuichi shot off the wall just before the fireballs reached him. He whirled around quickly and shot a huge blast of water at all the fireballs, completely dousing them. They were all gone. He smiled. Something hit his back, hard.

"Ow!" Shuichi jumped a mile and turned around. About twenty fireballs were hovering above him, ready to attack. He froze. How was he supposed to put the fires out before they reached him? As if to respond, they all began flying at him simultaneously. Shuichi let out a gasp and backed away, not that it did much good.

_I have to be strong! I have to be strong, like Yuki!_ Shuichi scowled and held his hands in the air high above his head. A huge ball of water appeared above his head. He moved his arms slowly down from above his head to where his shoulders were, keeping his arms extended outward. The water followed his movements, expanding and extending outward, enveloping him.

Finally, Shuichi's arms dropped to his sides and the water followed suit. Shuichi was now inside a bubble-shaped barrier. As soon as the first fireball touched it, it turned into vapor with a loud hissing noise.

Shuichi watched in awe as the other fireballs simply disappeared without a trace. They were just gone. Frowning slightly, he looked around for Apollyon. Then he heard the sound of clapping. "Nicely done." Apollyon said from behind him. Shuichi squealed and twirled around to face his enemy. "But your barrier is weak. I was able to teleport right inside of it. Your barrier serves more than one purpose. It should not let anything in or out. It should protect you from all attacks. It should be your safe haven. And no on but you should be allowed inside, at least for now."

"So I have some work to do." Shuichi let out a sigh. Apollyon walked over to the half-demon and put one hand on his head.

"Yes, you do. But you're doing just fine, Shuichi." Apollyon held his hand out and the flower head of a water lily appeared in it. The petals were purple, the throat had a bright yellow ring going around it, and the stigma was pink. Apollyon tucked the flower behind Shuichi's right ear.

Shuichi blinked in confusion as Apollyon held his face. _What is he doing?_ The boy watched at Apollyon studied his every feature closely. Then, Apollyon abruptly let go of him. Shuichi shook his head slightly, then remembered the flower and touched it to make sure it hadn't fallen out.

"Thanks." Shuichi yawned, covering his mouth. Apollyon wove his hand and all the fog disappeared. Shuichi sat down, using the rocky wall for support. Not that it was good support. The wall was cold and so was the sand he was sitting on.

"We're done for the day. It is time for you to rest." Apollyon sat down on the ground Indian-style, facing the mouth of the cave. Shuichi shivered faintly, but Apollyon still heard. "Come here." Shuichi cocked his head but obeyed, crawling over to Apollyon. The angel picked the pink-haired teen up by the back of his shirt and dropped him into his lap.

Shuichi's eyes bugged out in surprise. _He just put me in his lap…_ Shuichi scrambled around to get comfortable. He squirmed around and laid his head against Apollyon's chest. _He's warm_… Shuichi closed his eyes and snuggled closer to the Angel of Hell. One of Apollyon's wings began rubbing his back gently. _Mmm…. Feels nice…_ Shuichi yawned again. But he found himself restless. His body was content but his mind was jumbled and afraid. He was dead; he was in Hell.

_I never even thought about it… Saki, Ryuichi, Father, Crimson, Reiko, Yuki, everyone! What are they all doing? Do they… are they sad? Are they having a funeral for me? I can't… I'm dead… why?_ Shuichi gripped the front of Apollyon's shirt tightly as tears squeezed forth from his closed eyes. _I'm going to be stuck here for a while… I shouldn't be crying; at least I'm not alone. I have Apollyon, right?_ Shuichi drifted off to sleep on top of Apollyon, who was the softest bed ever.

Apollyon was staring out at the barren desert, watching the time go by. He stared down at Shuichi, who was whimpering slightly. Must be having some sort of dream. Apollyon raised an eyebrow but thought nothing of it. That it, until Shuichi began moaning and shaking in his sleep. His grip on Apollyon tightened a lot and his moans grew louder. He was terrified of something; that was apparent.

"Please… don't…" Shuichi began thrashing around in Apollyon's lap. "No, no… don't touch me…" Apollyon held onto the boy's waist firmly and pulled him close. "No… no… stop…" Apollyon kissed Shuichi's sweat-covered forehead.

"Shuichi. You're safe." Apollyon whispered in the boy's ear. Shuichi stopped squirming around, but his moans and whimpers still persisted. "I won't let anyone hurt you." His left wing began caressing Shuichi's back once more. But Shuichi was still scared of something. What was the boy dreaming about?

Apollyon raised his eyes to the heavens. "Tell anyone about this and you're dead." He said to no one in particular. _I can't believe I'm about to do this… he's tamed my heart already. Not that I'll let him know it._ Apollyon opened his mouth and began gently singing to Shuichi:

"**Travellin' somewhere, could be anywhere  
There's a coldness in the air, but I don't care  
We drift deeper, life goes on  
We drift deeper, into the sound**

**Travellin' somewhere, could be anywhere  
There's a coldness in the air, but I don't care  
We drift deeper, into the sound, life goes on,  
We drift deeper into the sound, feeling strong**

**So bring it on, so bring it on**

**Embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Oh embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**So bring it on, so bring it on**

**So bring it on, so bring it on**

**We drift deeper into the sound, life goes on  
We drift deeper into the sound, feeling strong  
So bring it on, so bring it on **

**Embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Oh embrace, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Oh embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**Oh embrace me, surround me, as the rush comes**

**As the rush comes, as the rush comes,**

**As the rush comes, as the rush comes,**

**As the rush comes…"**

As the Angel of Hell finished his last note, Shuichi let out a tiny sigh and his body completely relaxed. His breathing became normal and his grip on Apollyon lessened. Shuichi was now happily sleeping, thanks to Apollyon. _I can't believe it worked…_ Apollyon shook his head, smiling down at the boy.

Shuichi roused as he felt a considerable amount of warmth. Groaning gently, Shuichi opened his eyes and quickly blocked them from the sun. "Pollyon?" He murmured softly, looking around for the Angel. He propped himself up on one arm, using the other to shield himself from the intense heat. "Apollyon, where are you?" He crawled back into the cave away from the mouth so that the sunlight would stop attacking him.

Shuichi slowly stood up and stretched gracefully. He then stood in the same stop and began rubbing his eyes. "Mou… I'm bored…" The half-demon sat down on the ground and crossed his arms over his chest. He stared out into the vast desert. Nothing but sand and sand for as far as he could see.

"I hope we don't get lost…" Shuichi stood up and then sat back down restlessly. "APOLLYON!" To top it off, his stomach began growling. This was just too much for the boy to take. "Oh fine! I'll find you myself!" And with that, Shuichi stomped completely out of the cave and into the Forsaken Desert. He walked a few yards and then turned around. There was nothing but sand and more sand behind him. "Where… did the cave go?" Shuichi stared dumbly at the sand. Uh-oh… Maybe he shouldn't have left the cave… Because now it was gone…

**Ooh yeah! And we are finito lol! Review if ya liked it! Next up, Chapter 15: And He Became Engulfed! Shu-chan is lost in the desert! What happens when someone finds him? Is it a friend or foe? Where will this new being take Shuichi? And will Apollyon EVER find him? Lol... I smell a little cross-dressing nearby... Tee hee hee.**


	21. Chapter 15: And He Became Engulfed

**BOOYAH! MY BIRTHDAY IS TODAY, APRIL THE TWENTY-FIRST. Dude, I'm seventeen now... Well, it's official at 2 something in the morning, but we don't have to get technical here. I'm soooooooo excited! I have my license test today... I hope I pass, root for meeeeeeeee! Lol I'm so happy I could burst!**

**So this chapter is extremely confusing and bewildering. So feel free to ask me any questions and I'll respond to you as soon as I can. (Believe me, I was beginning to confuse myself writing it.) We have a special guest, erm, "appearance" today lol. And no, it's not Yuki. Soooory! I was way too tired to check this one over, so I'm givin' it to ya raw, folks! This chapter is completely, smokin' new and unedited. So I prolly have about a million mistakes in it, but I'm too wiped to check... Don't make me...**

**I don't own "Another Star". Stevie Wonder owns it. So there! **

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEE!**

**To Samurai-Tenshi-** Lol, I'm glad you're glad. Hmmm... does he like Shu? I guess you'll have to wait and see...

**To Ichigo Pocky**- Lol so it wasn't exactly soon, but I've been busy with SAT class. And honors physics. That class is one giant headache. But your review made me very happy!

**To Luciver**- Lol it's a good thing you skimmed. And you're onto something there, (wink wink). I smell a little green monster forming. And there's nothing wrong with being bipolar.

**To Rae Anderson**- Okay, okay! I'm gonna jump around with you now lol! Can we be hyper together?

**To AngelofLight**-Yes, chaos SHALL ensue lol. If only he hadn't left the cave...

**To Shuichi-kun shindo**- Lol wow. Don't stay up too late now. I like my readers alert! (jk, I love all readers lol.)

**To Luciferian**- You see, I like you. You just about summed up my chapter with one word. Gotta love it.

**To JasLine**- Lol your review showed up twice for some reason. Well, when you're hungry, your stomach tends to think for you.

**To Krazy Kitsune13**- Omg, this girl I know who goes to Rutgers has the cutest bunny in her dorm! It was black and fuzzy and tiny and he fit in my hand! He was sooooooo cute!

**To Sweet-single**- Lol you're cool! And I should have updated sooner, my apologies!

**To Clover**- I'm really, really, really hope you like this chapter. And aw... you're making me blush!

**To leah**- Lol you spelled it correctly. Is five days soon enough for you?

* * *

_**CHAPTER FIFTEEN:**_

_**AND HE BECAME ENGULFED

* * *

**_

Shuichi decided that he wouldn't move another inch. Maybe then Apollyon would be able to find him. _I'm in a lot of trouble…_ He smiled, trying to find humor in this dismal situation. _I'm right in the middle of a desert as wide as America… Yeah, I'm screwed. Pollyon, where are you?_

The wind blew through his hair, rustling the water lily behind his ear gently. Shuichi let out a sigh and stood up. He had waited long enough. Apollyon was most likely looking for him, right? Or did the Angel not even know Shuichi was gone? Or was Shuichi _supposed_ to leave by himself?

"Either way, I've got a job to do. I have to reach Ichiban." Shuichi scowled, scratching his head. "I'm sure Apollyon will find me eventually." And so, the half-demon chose a direction and began walking. He tried to walk in a straight line, but how could that be possible when there was no path before him? And nothing but grains of identical sand and wind to make his tracks vanish.

Needless to say, it didn't take very long for Shuichi to get lost. Actually, it was safe to say he was lost the moment he exited the cave. _Why am I so stupid?_ Shuichi groaned out loud and looked up at the blazing sun. _I'm so hot…_

Shuichi decided to sit down on the hot sand and take a break. He felt dehydrated and weak. _It looks like I haven't moved from where I started at all… What kind of sick joke is this? How am I supposed to find the end of the desert? Is anyone even out here at all?_ Shuichi held his hands out, cupped them and then formed cool water in them. He began drinking greedily, loving the feeling of the cold water sliding down his parched throat.

Shuichi looked up into the huge blue sky. Not a cloud was in sight, nothing to bring him temporary shade. Just the hot, sizzling sun and the even hotter sand and wind to blow that hot sand into his face. How was he supposed to walk in one direction when he had to block his eyes from the sun? He needed help…

"What am I supposed to do?" Shuichi groaned out loud, pulling his knees to his chest and hanging his head. _Think, Shuichi, think._ He let out another loud sigh and stood up. It was useless. He was going to be stuck in this giant desert forever. All this stupid sand whirled around him, blocking his vision. He couldn't see, but he could hear. Maybe Apollyon would be able to hear him as well.

_Hmmm… what song should I sing?_ Shuichi closed his eyes and began twirling around, as if he was dancing with someone. But he was all-alone in the desolate desert. For now, anyway. He tried to picture himself somewhere else, where all his problems melted away, where there were no such things as responsibilities or wars or anything that required work for that matter.

"**La la la la la la lala la**

**La la la la la la lala la**

**La la la la la la lala la**

**La la la la la la lala la**

**For you**

**There might be another star**

**But through my eyes the light of you it's all I see**

**For you**

**There might be another song**

**But all my heart can hear is your melody**

**So long ago my heart without demanding**

**Informed me that no other love could do**

**But listen did I not though understanding**

**Fell in love with one**

**Who would break my heart in two**

**For you**

**Love might bring a toast of wine**

**But which each sparkle know the best for you I pray**

**For you**

**Love might be for you to find**

**But I will celebrate our love of yesterday**

**So long ago my heart without demanding**

**Informed me that no other love cloud do**

**But listen did I not though understanding**

**Fell in love with one**

**Who would break my heart in two**

**For you**

**There might be another star**

**But through my eyes the light of you it's all I see**

**For you**

**There might be another song**

**But in my heart your melody will stay with me**

**La la la la la la lala la**

**La la la la la la lala la**

**La la la la la la lala la**

**La la la la la la lala la…"**

Shuichi ceased his graceful twirling and opened his eyes. He could sense a life form approaching him. "Apollyon? Apollyon, is that you?" He shouted eagerly, looking around all the sand for the angel. Then suddenly, something burst forth from the sand not too far away from him. Shuichi let out a yelp and backed away, nearly falling over in the process.

Shuichi found himself staring at the largest snake he had ever seen in his life. Well, it looked like it was half-human. His human half went from the tips of his hair to his waist and fingertips. From then on, it was his tremendously long tail. And he had just emerged from the sand below him. _So the demons here travel under the sand, most likely to avoid the sunlight. That's smart… too bad I can't do that. Or are there tunnels under there? I wouldn't know… I never tried digging. Maybe I should…_ Shuichi broke off his mental babbling and instead studied the snake in front of him.

The snake/man was extremely tall when standing on his tail. He had a somber look to him and fire red hair that partially covered his obsidian eyes. The amount of piercings in both his ears was remarkable. How one had enough room for so many holes was beyond Shuichi's imagination. His snake tail was striped black and white and looked like the suit Beetle Juice wore. Well, except this snake was scarier than Beetle Juice and his tail looked long enough to suffocate Shuichi with.

But the one thing that got Shuichi about this demon was his eyes. His dark eyes held so much sadness, so much forlorn pain. Shuichi could practically feel the depression seeping off the snake. His eyes made him look so much less threatening. And the fact that his human portion was scrawny. There were barely any muscles or fat on him. His human half looked, thin, gaunt.

Shuichi found the snake staring him down as well. "You haven't been dead long." The snake spoke matter-of-factly. He had a very calm, blasé voice. Then again, what was the point of worrying? The snake _was_ dead.

"Yeah, that's true." Shuichi smiled and scratched the back of his head. "The thing is, I'm trying to get out of this desert. It just isn't my thing. I… I prefer a more… tropical area to live in." The snake stared at him incredulously in reply.

"Was that you singing before?" The snake man asked, completely ignoring Shuichi's earlier statements.

"Yeah, it was." Shuichi laughed lightly, nervously.

"A friend of mine is turning seventeen hundred today. She's having a giant birthday/deathday bash."

"So that means she died on her birthday? Wow… that's sad." Shuichi blinked slowly. _I wonder how she died…_

"She died exactly one-thousand years ago. A rare disease had been eating away at her for a long while, but she wouldn't do anything about it. Of course, since she never let anyone know she was sick, no one could heal her. She died much too young for a demon of her caliber." It was as if the snake man had heard Shuichi's unasked question.

"Oh…" Shuichi didn't know what to say. _She probably didn't want to be a burden to anyone. I know that feeling…_ Shuichi felt as if he understood the demon, even though he had no idea who she was.

"I am called Ramechi." Ramechi raised a dark eyebrow at Shuichi, who froze. "I think Alysia would appreciate having you at her birthday. You seem to be a nice girl. What are you called?"

_Okay… I don't know who this stranger is. For all I know, he could be in league with Ryuichi's dad or Manchu or Nuri. Or this could be some kind of test. Either way… I don't think I should give Ramechi my real name._ Shuichi blinked suddenly. _Wait… did he just call me a GIRL? Gaaa, why does he think that? Oooh… the flower. That could have something to do with it. In any event, this actually helps me._

"I-Ichigo." Shuichi muttered out the first thing that came to his head.

"I see. Well then, Ichigo, would you sing at Alysia's birthday party?" Ramechi asked seriously. "And I'd like to be your escort as well." Shuichi's jaw almost dropped to the floor. "The party begins in a couple hours."

"Uh… sure." Shuichi inwardly sighed. _How do I get myself into these things?

* * *

_

Shuichi let out another sigh and stared into the large mirror in front of him. After agreeing to be Ramechi's escort, the snake had happily taken him back to his lair, a cavern of some kind deep under the sand. He learned that Ramechi was a master at illusionary magic, a very rare talent in the demon world. He also learned that Ramechi was a full-blooded demon, despite his appearance.

* * *

_**(Begin Flashback)**_

"**I was traveling in the far east in the Demon Realm when I was captured by a weird demon cult of some kind. They took me to a gigantic mansion on some moving island and performed all kinds of horrific experiments on me. They were trying to make me into a Hybrid Child." Ramechi shook his head sadly. **

"**A Hybrid Child? What's that?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side.**

"**You're a half-demon, are you not?" Ramechi stared at Shuichi hard, waiting until the boy nodded his head. "A Hybrid Child is the child of any half-demon. They're a very new race. Usually the children of half-demons die very early their lives. Most of them aren't even born. The rumored instability and insanity in half-demons is actually found in their children. Most Hybrid Children lose themselves in all their power and either have to be killed or sealed away. The ones that don't end up committing suicide. **

"**But in this mansion, there were hundreds of them. I had never seen so many Hybrid Children in my life and it terrified me. For Hybrid Children are always stronger than their parents. Imagine, a being that is half tiger demon and half human mating with oh, a being that's half werewolf and half dragon. Their child will be one-fourth of each of those races, having the abilities of a tiger demon, werewolf and a dragon. Mixing certain beings can bring catastrophic results, such as breeding a Darkness Demon with an Angel of Light or a vampire with a phoenix. Those combinations are very unstable. **

"**You see, all those races by themselves are fine. But once you start combining races and making new mixtures, an explosion is bound to occur at some point." Ramechi paused for a moment and looked at Shuichi to make sure the half-demon was taking all of this in.**

"**So that means… I shouldn't have any children." Shuichi's eyes lowered to the ground sadly. "I wouldn't want my child to suffer like that…" _That's not fair…_ **

"**Unfortunately, that is correct. At this mansion the cult experimented on me and turned half my body into that of a human's. Absolutely disgusting, but what can I do about it? During my stay there, one Hybrid Child took a liking to me. Her name was, Athena, I recall, she was vivacious and she always smiled. **

"**One day, Athena led me into a secret room far below the mansion. The room was devoid of anything but child sleeping in a gigantic metallic bubble. The bubble was attached to a machine that was under it. It was constantly beeping and different parts of it kept lighting up in diverse colors.**

"**Athena told me that the child had been there for about a century or so and had never woken up. She told me that she once saw a beautiful necklace on the child, a necklace made of exquisitely rare gemstones. There was something horridly wrong with the child. A demon child should never need to be hooked up to some kind of machine. It was unnatural, uncanny. Athena told me that they had only allowed her to sneak down and talk to the child. I asked her why and she said that her talking to the dormant child helped the child's development. As a human mother reads a book to the baby in her womb. **

"**But I didn't have that much time to ask Athena anything else. Because then they showed up and killed me. Right in front of her. The last thing I remember is hearing her scream. But they wouldn't do anything to Athena. They needed her, needed her power. They also needed that child for some reason." Ramechi finished, watching Shuichi stare at him in awe. **

"**So you mean to tell me that there's some kind of uncharted island out in the ocean of the Demon Realm that's harboring Hybrid Children?" Shuichi shook his head. "Wow… that's almost unbelievable. But… who where 'they'? The demons that captured you."**

"**I don't know. They all wore long, black-hooded cloaks. They never showed a sliver of their skin. They were practically shadows. The magic they used was so powerful, so ancient, and so very deadly." Ramechi frowned slightly. "But they are planning something with those children… that much I know." **

_**(End Flashback)

* * *

**_

Shuichi shook his head again. He had a feeling that these Hybrid Children were going to pose some sort of threat to him. _I'm going to have to rule over them. And if Ramechi says there are hundreds of them in that mansion, I have A LOT of work to do…_ But he also had a feeling that whoever was behind this was trying to lay low. He had a feeling that nothing was going to happen just yet. This was why he decided not to worry about them just yet. He had much bigger fish to fry.

Shuichi looked down at the dirt floor he was standing on. There was a tiny, ragged, blue beanbag chair plopped on the floor behind him. And the giant mirror in front of him that was somehow floating on its own. "This is quite the ideal guest room." Shuichi turned around, not being able to face the mirror anymore.

Shuichi dropped down onto the soft couch, relishing in its smoothness. He buried his face deep in the tattered cobalt blue. He wished that all of his problems could melt away. His brain hurt a lot, after hearing about the prophecy, the Golden Age, the Nadir Wars, the Type Zeroes… and now these Hybrid Children.

"Why me?" Shuichi groaned out loud. _And on top of it, I'm cross-dressing again. Funny, I remember I told my Dad I wouldn't do that anymore._ Thinking back to the banquet brought a genuine smile to the half-demon's face.

_I wish I was back there, instead of here. Back with Michael and Saki and Yuki and everyone else… Sure, things weren't perfect. But I was happy._ Tears filled Shuichi's eyes and they spilled from his cheeks. _Now I'm stuck in this lair with a demon I don't even know, a demon that could turn on me and kill me in a second. I'm stuck in Hell without a friend or ally. Apollyon is never going to find me…_

Shuichi slowly sat up, tears still falling from his eyes. His shoulders began shaking uncontrollably and he tried to hold himself. _I've never felt so alone in my entire life…_ He hung his head in shame and attempted to stop his tears. He managed to reduce his waterworks to loud sniffles and lessened his shaking to mere shivering.

"What am I going to do?" Shuichi looked up into the dirt ceiling. He was surrounded by dirt. _I could destroy this whole thing if I wanted to. I could make it collapse. All I have to do is release a huge amount of water. This dirt becomes mud and it won't be able to sustain itself. I'll be free from Ramechi. _

_But if I do that, I won't have any leads at all. I'll be right back where I started. Plus, this Alysia may not like it if I hurt Ramechi. I don't know how they know each other. And who knows? Maybe Apollyon will be at this party, looking for me. Seventeen hundred, one thousand seven hundred, one-seven-zero-zero. _

Shuichi wiped his wet face vigorously until all his salty tears were gone. "Good. I've cried enough." Shuichi was bound to meet up with someone at this party. Everything happened for a reason. So what if he had to endure a few hardships?

He would reach his destination eventually. And that hope, the hope that he would find his way out of Hell and back into Yuki's arms (that is, if the demon even wanted anything to do with him, but for sake of not losing what little sanity he had left, Shuichi decided to pretend that Yuki missed him dearly) let a few rays of light shine into Shuichi's once dark world.

"Shuichi…" Shuichi could hear someone call his name. A soft, beckoning voice, a calm voice that soothed him. "Shuichi…" That voice was music to his ears. But where was it coming from? It couldn't have been the couch.

Shuichi stood up off the couch, facing the mirror. "Shuichi…" The voice was coming from the mirror. He ran forward and practically mashed his face and hands against the mirror, breathing on it heavily. The mirror slightly fogged up from his breath. "Who's there?" Shuichi whispered silently.

Shuichi could feel something pulling him from the other side of the mirror. He watched in horror as his fingers began disappearing inside the mirror. They were being sucked inside by some invisible, unstoppable force. He tried to pull back, but it was all in vain. He was too late. So he decided to stop fighting and allowed his entire body to pass into the mirror. His body was flying through darkness, against its whim, under the control of some unknown being…

* * *

Shuichi opened his eyes and looked up. He saw a perfectly blue sky. There were seagulls in the distance, flapping their white wings majestically. He was lying down on sand, pure, white, and smooth. He could hear the ocean waves moving upon the sand, in an almost gentle lapping manner. It soothed him, it all did. 

Shuichi wanted to spend the rest of his days just lying there on that strange beach, but something was wrong. Why was he here? Who brought him here? Shuichi sat up, looking all around him. Was this a trick of some kind? Did the mirror suck him up? And what about Ramechi? Did he do this?

"Jeez Shu. You can't stay happy for too long these days." A childish voice came from the sky. "Try and relax, will you? You need a good, old-fashioned rest. And I intend to give it to you."

"Who are you? Who says I need any rest?" Shuichi demanded, scowling slightly. This voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Shuichi, you were practically drowning in your despair. I could feel it and I'm light years away from you." The voice giggled slightly. Shuichi froze. He knew that silly laugh. It couldn't be… it was impossible.

"M-Michael?" Shuichi breathed out, not believing himself.

"Bout time you realized it!" The voice shouted gleefully. _Michael_ shouted gleefully. "But man oh man, I never expected to find you in Hell, Shu. What's going on? What happened to you? And who this Ramechi? Is he holding you captive?"

"Whoa, calm down buddy!" Shuichi let out a laugh. He couldn't believe it. He was sitting on some forsaken beach talking to Michael, whom he hadn't seen in weeks. It was a miracle! "Erm… I'm not exactly sure where I should begin…"

"That's okay. I'll just ask Manchu why you're dead when he gets back." Michael said carelessly. But those words caused a chill to go through Shuichi. "Oh, don't worry about me. We're here to talk about you and your well-being."

"What do you mean?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side. "And of course I'm going to worry about you! You're five years old and you're trapped somewhere with a crazy demon that hates me! He said he was going to-"

"Your tears basically sent a distress call to me. And I'm technically not five years old anymore." Michael said matter-of-factly. "If I was, do you think I'd be able to contact you like this?"

"How can you not be five years old? Did your birthday pass?" Shuichi frowned. He didn't like where this conversation was going. The voice sounded like Michael, his behavior seemed like Michael, but what it _really_ him?

"Er… not exactly. You're not going to like this and I didn't want you to worry about me, but… Manchu sorta… used some major black arts, maybe a Type Zero here and there and changed me into a synthetic half-demon."

"WHAT?" Shuichi screamed out, his hands becoming fists. "How can he do that? How is that possible? Why would he do that?"

"Shuichi, have you ever heard of a Hybrid Child?" Michael asked calmly.

"Yea…" Shuichi narrowed his eyes.

"Well, it's Manchu's goal to change me into the first perfect, synthetic Hybrid Child. One-fifth human, one-fifth demon, one-fifth angel, one-fifth zombie and one-fifth ghost. He basically wants me to be one of everything, the perfectly blended being with capability and power at my fingertips." Michael said slowly. "He wants me to lead a revolution where the Hybrid Children are under my command. He wants us to take over all the realms. He's been planning it for some time now. He needed a vessel to lead them and I was the lucky pick."

"But, I don't understand." Shuichi had tears in his eyes again.

"So I've been fused with a fifty-five billion year old Darkness Demon, the eldest of its kind, who was around during the Nadir Wars." Michael continued on. "This is why my intelligence has increased sevenfold, considering I've technically been alive almost as long as dirt."

"But how can he do that? That doesn't make ANY sense!" Shuichi shouted angrily. "I don't believe you! You're _not_ Michael! Michael was, is, and always will be HUMAN!"

"If I was still human, I'd be dead by now." Michael said, with a coldness in his voice that Shuichi had never heard before. "I've endured torture, rivaling even yours. I've had to listen to Manchu's insane rants about taking over the universe. Day after day, I have to get used to all my new powers and all the pain it brings.

"My tiny body can barely sustain all the new power I have. And the maturity it brings. My body almost fell apart the first night of my being a half-demon. The pain was over unbearable. I couldn't sleep for days. Night by night, I laid awake, holding back the tears. Manchu told me that if I uttered these words: 'I hate Shuichi.' he'd take the pain away, just like that. That's all I had to do.

"But I never did. I believed in you. I believe that even though you couldn't save me, you would if you could. That you'd believe in me; that you'd still love me even though I wasn't human anymore. Thinking of you was the one thing that kept me sane. And this afternoon, I could feel you, your distress, your pain. And I decided to leap the bounds of space and time to help you. I used countless amounts of energy to reach you.

"And what do you do in return? You say I'm not Michael, that Manchu couldn't have made me into a half-demon. You say you don't believe me. Look that the humans, Shuichi. Do you see what they can do? They can clone things now. Their machines do most of the work for them. If humans are this technologically advanced, how much do you think demons can accomplish?" Michael finally ceased his angry tirade. Shuichi half expected the sky to darken at this point.

"I'm sorry, Michael… but you have to understand. This is a lot for me to swallow." Shuichi let out a long sigh. "I've just had a lot of responsibility dumped on me. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'd never want to do that. All of this is overwhelming it, it really is. I can't take it much longer. I need help; I can't do this on my own. I feel like I'm so lost, but I don't know where to begin to look. I don't know what to do, I don't know what to say."

"I think I understand…" Michael said slowly. "So… you should take a few deep breaths. Listen to the ocean, it's very calming. I come here after training. It's the one place that Manchu can't follow me to." Shuichi simply lied back on the sand and closed his eyes. He listened to the ocean, just like Michael told him to.

"Michael? Can I see what you look like now?" Shuichi mumbled after a period of content silence.

"I'm warning you Shuichi, I'm a monster as of now. My physical body has almost been reduced to a temple of violence, my mind struggles between the human and demon halves. My soul is the one thing that cannot be completely altered." Michael let out a sigh. "But if you wish to see me, who am I to refuse your request?"

A huge TV screen appeared in front of Shuichi. The screen fizzed gray, white and black. Then it flashed blue and image appeared. It was a dark room with a gray stone floor and dull gray blocks for walls. It was dimly lit by a dusty chandelier.

There was a raggedy bed with plain white sheets to the left and a stuffed bookcase to the right. The exit, a door with chipped wood, was all the way at the back of the room. Shuichi could see a tiny black blur jumping around rapidly. Each time the blur stopped jumping, Shuichi could hear metal clashing and he could see the silver metal. But then the blur commenced its leaping and Shuichi couldn't see the metal anymore.

"Stop." Michael commanded and the black blur stopped in mid-air. It landed on the stone ground, directly under the light of the chandelier. Shuichi could now see it clearly. He gasped and tears filled his eyes. It was Michael, his physical form.

Michael had gotten slightly taller and a lot more muscular. His blonde hair was shaggier and messier and his bangs completely covered his eyes. He was wearing a silver T-shirt with a black vest over it and black shorts covering in various zippers, buckles, and chains. The silver shirt had a giant blood red "X" on the front of it and it looked as if bloodied claws had scratched it.

A large black wing unfurled itself from Michael's right shoulder. It was about twice his size and covered in thick, dark feathers that fell ominously onto the ground as Michael moved it. The wing itself was curved and hooked sharply to the right. As if to horrify Shuichi even more, two bright red gleams shone were Michael's eyes should have been. He truly looked like a demon.

Michael smiled then, showing off his caustic fangs and flexing his elongated, vicious-looking claws. His fangs and claws were fairly thin and underdeveloped, but still lethal. But his smile… showed anything but happiness. It was a mad-man's smile, a smile given by one who has no sanity or even a heart, a smile given by one who is completely lost in oblivion.

"N-no…" Shuichi managed to croak out, practically choking on his tears. The innocent little _human_ boy he used to play with was now half a Darkness Demon. And it was obvious he didn't make the transition well. Shuichi forced himself to look at Michael yet again and spotted the self-inflicted wounds all over the boy's arms. "Why? Why… I don't…. I can't… Michael…"

"Sometimes my bloodlust becomes too strong for my human side to control so I just take it out on myself." Michael said nonchalantly.

"How can you be okay with this?" Shuichi screamed out. "You're… you're… How are you in two places at once?" He jumped as the physical Michael leered at him ferociously and spread his two arms out as far as he could go. Shuichi saw his, yes his twin daggers appear in Michael's hands.

"De mortis nil nisi bonum." Michael said, laughing out loud as he did so. He slashed the air with the daggers, leaving a jagged blue and silver "X" behind. The letter shone blood red and became a huge circle. About twenty zombies leapt out of the circle and it closed completely, leaving the air vacant once more.

"Wait, was that a Type Zero?" Shuichi asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. _This is crazy… he went from using a water gun to Type Zeroes in no time flat._

"I believe it has something to do with respecting the dead, therefore giving the user to summon lifeless creatures." Michael spoke out. "In any event, the demon in me is bored of training and wishes to practice its newly acquired powers out on something, usually zombies."

"Why?" Shuichi frowned. This didn't make any sense. He still had no idea how Michael's body was in one place and his voice was in another. Michael began flying around and swiping at the zombies with the twin daggers.

"Because they're the easiest to learn Type Zeroes from. Zombies only use Type Zeroes in defense. It's been summoning them ever since Manchu gave me that spell to use. So it basically beats them until they use a new Type Zero. Then it memorizes the new spell." Michael let out a sigh. "I think it's learned a couple hundred by now. I've lost count."

"Why do you keep saying 'it'? And you still haven't explained why you're here and there!" Shuichi was getting impatient and more confused by the second.

"I refer to my demon self as 'it' because I don't want to associate myself with its malicious deeds. That demon was placed inside my body against my will." Michael said curtly. "And I've learned a few useful Type Zeroes as well. I only separated my human soul from my human and demonic body because I need to concentrate in order to reach you in Hell. You see, Shuichi, this is all an illusion. That mirror has magic powers, due to the demon that owns it, and I simply magnified its power. I'm still inside the room you see now, just floating around."

"Oh." Shuichi blinked. "But wait… a ghost, a zombie, and an angel are going to be placed inside of you as well? How are you going to handle that?"

"We-ell… I'm most likely going to go completely mad. It was hard enough assimilating the Darkness Demon. But Manchu told me he's going to wait four years before he inserts the zombie into me." Michael said thoughtfully. "Then after another four years, I get the ghost. Two years later, I'm released and I go to Heaven, kill an Archangel and take over his/her position and powers."

"And he told you all of this?" Shuichi's mouth dropped open. _Jeez, Manchu really thinks ahead. But how is Michael going to get into Heaven? _

"Yeah, it's all according to his plan." Michael said uncaringly. "I'm just counting down the days. Ten years stuck in this stupid castle. Fun, fun, fun."

"You wouldn't happen to be in a castle on an island, would you?" Shuichi asked hopefully. Michael's laugh was enough of an answer.

"As if Manchu would be that obvious. I'm sorry, but don't even bother looking for me. Even if you do (which you won't), the whole castle is barricaded by charms and barriers and demons, not to mention some Type Zeroes." Michael said sadly. "The only one who can enter or exit is Manchu."

"Where is he now?" Shuichi frowned suspiciously.

"He's looking for a suitable zombie to incorporate into me, in Hell, of course." Michael answered slowly. "You might even run into him." Shuichi's jaw dropped. "Speaking of… _Ichigo_, I have to get you ready for that par-tay! I'm going to work my magic on you. Because no one can dress you like I can."

"That's for sure." Shuichi smiled, happy to see sliver of what used to be his charge. He could feel his body being lifted up and he knew he was leaving Michael. "When will I see you?"

"Ten years, Shu-chan. What, did you forget already?" Michael sounded slightly annoyed. "Well, we might get to talk a little in between then, but I might hate you after I become part zombie or ghost. I guess… this is goodbye."

"Goodbye, Michael… I'm sorry I couldn't help you." Shuichi wiped his tears away. "No, I _will_ help you. Once you're free. I'll find you, wherever you are. In Heaven, Hell, any of the realms! You'll be free one day, Michael."

"Free from the walls that caged me in, but not free from myself." Michael uttered enigmatically. And with that, the illusionary ocean shattered into shards of light, spraying all around Shuichi. He could feel himself flying alongside them. But was he really moving at all?

* * *

Shuichi's eyes snapped opened and looked around rapidly. He was still standing in front of the mirror, leaning longingly against it. His eyes widened and he backed away. His entire wardrobe had changed. He was in complete cross-dress mode as of now. _"No one can dress you like I can."_ He remembered bitterly and shook his head, chasing the image of Michael out of his head. 

"He was right…" Shuichi stared at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a wrap around dress robe that slid off his left shoulder and was tied up by two brown leather straps. It was made up of salmon colored Chiffon and dropped loosely onto his other arm. On his right arm when the sleeve finished at his elbow, a light grass green arm warmer continued down his arm ending just below his knuckles.

The robe pulled away from his body where it was held by a dark midnight blue brooch. A grass green second part of the robe fell underneath it. To top it off, he had dark brown leather shoes that matched the straps of the robe and had rainbow buckles.

"Wow… I can't believe it…" Shuichi stared in awe at himself. He gently reached up to touch the water lily Apollyon had given him. "Maybe I should have been born a girl." The flower seemed to be the finishing touch.

Just then, Ramechi burst into the room and slithered over to him. "My, my. Where did you get that?" Shuichi could see nothing but lust in the snake's eyes and it unnerved him somewhat. The half-demon hoped the party was large enough so that he could ditch the snake as soon as he got there.

"I used a spell." Shuichi giggled uneasily. "I like to look good before I perform." _I go, I sing, I ditch. That's the master plan, Ichigo! Stick to it!_

"Yes, yes and perform you shall." Ramechi smiled slightly. "Well then. Shall we depart?" Shuichi nodded and the two headed off for the birthday bash, Shuichi clueless to the fact that Ramechi wasn't talking about performing for the party.

**(Does happy dance) Okay, so the next chapter is the party. Shuichi unexpectedly makes a new friend. Finally, things start to look up for him! Unfortunately for the b-day girl, the party ends abruptly. Lol I feel bad for taking so long to update, so I'm going to have this one out as soon as possible. I plan on working on tomorrow. And as for my editing, I got bored with it. I'm not an editor, I'm a writer. Maybe I should hire one... anyone want the job? Lol.**

**Oh, btw. As you know, I have Shuichi sing a lot and on occasion, he sings with others, too. I heard this song a while ago and I LOVE it. It's called "Memories in the Rain" from a show called Bleach. The song is a duet btw. Ichigo Kurosaki & Rukia Kuchiki. Can someone get the lyrics for me (in Japanese, of course)? It would be greatly appreciated and the best birthday present ever and I would completely love whoever finds them and gives 'em to mee! So please find it!**

**P.s. Lol I noticed that some ppl replied already (and you flipping rock!) but when you put websites on, you gotta do it like this. Exp: m y s p a c e . c o m**

**If you don't then the site won't show up. I don't mean to be a hassle or bother, but for those who did find it, could you just put it back like that for me? Thankies! **


	22. Chapter 16: Party in the Outskirts!

**Lol How goes it guys? So yeah, I know this isn't exactly soon, but at least it's not a month. Lol rejoice. SATs and APs are done! Cheaaa boy! Seriously, hugest load off my shoulders. I'm sooo done with school now. I wish it was over sooner. Then I get more free time to write. **

**Oh yeah, btw, I still need those lyrics for Memories in the Rain. Animelyrics doesn't have it. So pretty, please I need it! Badly lol. And remember, you gotta put spaces in btw the letters.**

**And another thing, I just found out it was illegal to reply to reviews in the fic, so I'm not gonna do that anymore. Lol I can send review replies instead. I heart Hikari-kun and Cia-chan for explaining that to me. Wouldn't want to get in trouble with the guys upstairs lmao. **

**Okay, so this chapter is about a celebration. Lol I wrote it after my birthday actually. If I were to have a giganmous b-day bash, this is how I'd want it to be.**

**Disclaimer: These two songs belong to Dance Dance Revolution. I'm not _that_ creative, I can't make up cool songs lol.**

**I don't have enough time to give the chapter a last look over because my six-year-old cuzzie just woke up. Gotta tend to the little ones lmao.

* * *

**

_**CHAPTER SIXTEEN:**_

_**PARTY IN THE OUTSKIRTS!

* * *

**_

Shuichi was standing under the largest bubble he had ever seen in his life. It was black with shimmering lights glittering all over it, giving it a mystical, almost paranormal look. The bubble was pulsing and moving around, as if bouncing to rhythm of some sort. Then again, there was loud music coming from the bubble.

The bubble looked like a black meteor, jingling around against the dark night sky. For some reason, there weren't any stars out tonight. Or maybe it was too cloudy to see them. Were there clouds in Hell? Shuichi didn't know. He _did_ know that this bubble was the only source of light for miles.

"Because Alysia wants _everyone_ to know it's her birthday." Ramechi had explained to Shuichi, rolling his eyes. "Just about every demon in this desert is going to attend her birthday, simply because it's the only activity they'll be getting for a while. Besides, everyone will want to know where that racket is coming from."

Shuichi was patiently waiting for Ramechi to come back up from his home. The snake had told the half-demon that he had forgotten something and dove into the sand to retrieve it. He had been instructed to remain outside the bubble. But honestly, how long was Ramechi going to take?

"Short attention span here…" Shuichi let out a sigh.

"I know the feeling…" A female said from behind Shuichi, causing him to jump a mile and whirl around. She had shoulder-length black hair with silver highlights, bangs that smoothly covered her left eye and an uncovered, bright, happy purple eye. She wore a dark blue silk kimono with bright purple flowers all over it and black sandals. She had a bracelet made of purple flowers on her left hand and five thin silver bangles on her right.

Shuichi saw three earrings in her left ear and one in her right. The first two were in her cartilage. The top one was a silver star and the second was a diamond square. The last two were silver hoops, not too big, but not small either.

"Why aren't _you_ in _there_?" The female asked impatiently, placing her hands on her hips. "The party won't be the same if the guests are too afraid to go in!"

"I'm not afraid. My… my date told me to wait." Shuichi inwardly shuddered. _I can't believe I just called him that._ He studied the female's face closely. _She looks fairly young. If she was human, she'd be a teenager._

"Well, your date was stupid to leave you out here." She scowled and grabbed Shuichi by the arm. "We're going inside!" And with that, the demon began to ascend into the air, taking Shuichi with her.

"Uh, wait a second!" Shuichi cried out as his feet left the ground. He kicked them about wildly, looking down at the dark sand he had left behind. "Let me go! I have to wait for-" _I'm screwed…_ But the crazy girl holding onto him made him smile, something he hadn't done in a while.

"Weeeee!" The female grinned widely, rising higher and faster by the second. Shuichi let out a scream as they both flew right _inside_ the bubble. Shuichi opened his eyes and found himself standing on rather solid, not circular ground.

"Wow…" Shuichi took in the new sights. He was in the hugest room he had ever seen; it was definitely larger its outward appearance. "It's like Las Vegas meets the Corpse Bride…" There were flashing lights everywhere, loud music booming and thumping, multicolored fog on the floor, bubbles being blown everywhere, all kinds of demons conversing, dancing, just having a good time. There were couches, chairs, and other furniture strewn around the room. There was a bar right on Shuichi's left and a place for demons to leave their belongings on his right.

There was a huge, rectangular-shaped buffet table in the middle of the room. Shuichi had never seen so much food in one place. There was a giant fountain in the middle of the table that was sprouting chocolate instead of water. Every known and unknown dessert in the universe surrounded that fountain. Shuichi wanted to pounce on it. A group of obese demon centipedes were stationed at the buffet.

There was a huge sitting area to the left of the buffet with a huge plasma TV attached to the wall. A bunch of demons were sipping wine and watching some action show. There was another TV to the right of the buffet, but this one was a game of some sort where demons stepped on a mat to the beat of the music.

Behind the buffet was a large, wooden stage with a beautiful orchestra on it. They were playing exciting music that Shuichi had never heard before. Three guys and a girl were singing in front of the orchestra. There was a video game arcade to the left of it and a large staircase to the right. The staircase led to an upper ledge where demons were looking down at the party from up high. The ledge wrapped around the entire length of the room, held up by various flower vines.

Overall, the party's atmosphere somehow combined elegance with fun. It was the most exhilarating function Shuichi had ever seen and he wanted to join in, fast. He turned to look for the girl, but she was nowhere to be found.

"I guess I spent too much time looking…" Shuichi grinned to himself. "She really does have a short attention span." So Shuichi decided to go over to where the demons were playing the game on the television. He waited in line and watched the demon playing on the mat. He blew at some stray bubbles in the air.

It was a small male child with bunny ears on his head. His feet were moving faster than the speed of light. Shuichi saw four arrows on the mat and looked up on the screen. There were also arrows on the left side of the screen. Some music video was playing. Shuichi could barely make out the words, because he didn't recognize the language. He saw that a virtual person was also dancing on the screen. He was the rising arrows that must have somehow corresponded to the arrows on the mat.

_So… you step on the arrows when the rising, colored arrows reach the ones up top. And you're moving to the music._ Shuichi grinned. _I can't wait to try! It seems like fun! _The song finished, showing off white feathers and three teenagers that looked like they were from a video game. The bunny boy jumped off proudly after the screen changed and a giant gold "A" appeared. A blonde vampire got up on the mat after him and chose a different virtual person and a different song. This language Shuichi recognized and he began dancing to the beat.

"**kaitentou kara nai gengo haitenshon to katai tenpo**

**I sendou suru jaiken go kara daikenkai senhou!**

**kaitentou kara nai gengo haitenshon to katai tenpo**

**I sendou suru jaiken go kara daikenkai senhou!**

**sanjuugo plus yon waru ni sura wa jikenu konpa sukitachi ni**

**assari donkaku ni ne jikomu sabaketa ongaki wa**

**dokkara doko made kabunkaran hatena wa onwaketa riyuu da**

**doitsu to koitsu no chuukuri ga tarashita kanfuki na**

**dendan henka tsuketa denpa ni noru taihen baka keta hatsuken ni ya**

**guu wo tsukuri ya jin kakusura kawaru tei ni agaru shin hakushu wa**

**tappuriako gita ga ni yo ibou wo nigiru den to chikara**

**doushite umareta toki kara tsuzukete kita kono asobi kata!**

**kaitentou kara nai gengo haitenshon to katai tenpo**

**I sendou suru jaiken go kara daikenkai senhou!**

**kaitentou kara nai gengo haitenshon to katai tenpo**

**I sendou suru jaiken go kara daikenkai senhou!**

**san doori kara yon doori! hon douri yori honnou ni**

**makaseta giri wo konpoushi gattsuri onkou ni**

**hontou ni kono donkou ni mata gatteireba don't worry**

**donpachi donpachi don kyou de doko don koubi suru nihon tou ni**

**san doori kara yon doori! hon douri yori honnou ni**

**makaseta giri wo konpoushi gattsuri onkou ni**

**hontou ni kono donkou ni mata gatteireba don't worry**

**donpachi donpachi don kyou de doko don koubi suru nihon tou ni**

**donpachi donpachi don kyou de doko don koubi suru nihon tou ni**

**donpachi donpachi don kyou de doko don koubi suru nihon tou ni**

**son toki son toki son choushi buchi kowashiteiku mihon douri da ba…"**

Shuichi stopped as soon as the song ended. _That one was too sporadic, though. The tempo was changing a lot… _He laughed as the vampire stepped off tiredly. But at least he got a "B". It was almost Shuichi's turn. After the witch with the rainbow-colored hair, it would be Shu's time to shine. The witch had a black cat on her shoulder that she impatiently waved off. The cat scowled at her, cursed, and promptly trotted over to the buffet table to get some fish.

The witch stretched her arms and legs before choosing a different person and a song. This song was called "Paranoia". The song started rapidly, with arrows all over the place. Shuichi's head was spinning around and apparently, so was the witch's, because she failed within seconds. The witch stomped off angrily, but not before sending out a fireball at the screen, which promptly shot right back at her.

Shuichi excitedly stepped onto the mat. He pressed the select button, which must've been the equivalent of "back". He saw three rows of people, robots, etc and used the arrows to go to each person. Finally, one caught his eye. A girl with long blue hair named "Alice". _I like her!_ He smiled. _Plus, I'm supposed to be a girl anyway. Makes my look seem more convincing… _Shuichi pressed "X" and chose her.

"Hey, take off your shoes!" Someone shouted from the line. Shuichi jumped, but obeyed, slipping off his leather shoes and placed them next to the mat.

Shuichi began skimming through the songs. Some of them seemed to be too fast, some too slow, and others, just weird. Then, he saw a song called "Colors" and decided to pick that one. The song started out rather slowly, which he liked.

"**In the blue**

**I'm thinking of you**

**Oh, I was a fool**

**to let you walk away.. (walk away)**

**Tears in my eyes today**

**make my world the color of blue…"**

Shuichi loved looking at all the colors in the music video, even though they were kind of distracting. He didn't recognize whose voice was singing the song, but he liked it, too. He knew that this was a sad song and the lyrics spoke to him.

"**Red with a twist**

**Orange of fire**

**Green of tourmaline**

**Yellow mellow hello, hello**

**Paint me a smile**

**I'm covered and colored with one, only one...**

**'Cause baby I'm alone,**

**alone without you**

**What am I supposed to do?"**

By this time, Shuichi was really getting into the song. He figured out that if he listened to the beat well enough, the steps practically matched it. It was a good thing he loved music. He began putting on a show for the others behind him, waving his arms a bit like Alice was on the screen. But he didn't plan on doing any cartwheels or standing on his head. He wasn't _that_ agile.

"**I'm alone, alone without you**

**and the color blue**

**In the blue**

**I'm thinking of you**

**Oh, I was a fool**

**to let you walk away**

**Tears in my eyes today**

**make my world**

**the color of blue..."**

Shuichi finished happily. He thought he did well for his first try. Sure, he missed a few arrows, stumbled and almost tripped over his feet, but he was happy. Judging by the cheers he heard both on and off the screen, he did a good job. He hopped off the mat and slipped his shoes back on.

"Hey, you got a B, good job!" Someone in the line shouted out. Grinning widely, Shuichi walked over to the buffet table to reward himself. He snatched three plates, a cup, some utensils, and a few napkins. He was on a mission. He hadn't eaten for the longest time, a couple eons at the most.

Shuichi began rapidly moving around the buffet, ducking, dodging, and cutting in front of the other demons. He should have gotten one plate for each food group, but that would have to wait until his second time around. Shuichi got some fried rice, barbeque chicken, bacon, fried shrimp, fried clams, pancakes, lasagna, ziti, ham, chocolate-covered strawberries, kiwi, a few waffles, three brownies with sprinkles on them, a slice of ice cream cake, some watermelon, corn on the cob, strawberry pocky, gummy bears, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, spicy meatballs, a chocolate bunny, sesame chicken, beef lo mein, red Jell-O with whipped cream on it, toasted rolls with butter, and a large glass filled with blue soda.

Shuichi slowly carried his food over to the sitting area and decided to sit on the floor instead of the chair. He dove into his food, eating ravenously. He went for the pocky first, that was a given. He felt like a vacuum cleaner and he must've looked like a complete pig to all the other demons, but he didn't care.

"I didn't know the dead could get that hungry…" One demon with pearl earrings on whispered to her husband. "He must've died recently, poor thing." Shuichi ignored the female and continued stuffing his face. He looked up at the TV to see what was on. A bunch of demons were complaining about arsonists.

"I've never seen this channel before." Shuichi crammed some rice into his mouth, looking up at the pearl lady. "Umm, excuse me?" Her husband turned to Shuichi impatiently. "What's that channel?"

"Oh, it gives us news of what's going on in the Demon Realm." The pearl lady responded. "You're new here, aren't you dear?" Shuichi nodded quickly; his mouth was full of ziti. "Do you have any family members or friends you'd like to see? I believe this TV takes requests."

"Really?" Shuichi stood up quickly. "SAKUMA RYUICHI!"

Just about every demon in the room turned to Shuichi, who blushed and sat back down. "Er… okay. But he's been missing for about a decade." The pearl lady sighed. "Such a shame. Boy had so much potential…"

"No, no. Don't you watch the news? He's been back for a while! So is, uh… Sakuya's kid. They came back on his thousandth." One demon said excitedly.

"Yeah and Sakuya's second son tried to kill him." Another piped in. Shuichi innocently sipped his soda. "But I heard… what's it… Manchu got his butt kicked by a human boy!" Shuichi almost chocked. "He took a demon lord out with a water gun!" Demons shouldn't always believe what they see on the news.

"Yeah, it was K's kid! Such a brilliant child he is." The pearl lady's husband spoke up. "But now here this. Sakuya's kid had a fling with Lord Lucifer's son."

"NO!" The pearl lady gasped, turning to her husband. "Oh, the scandal!" Shuichi coughed slightly and stood up. "Oh that's right dearest. You wanted to see the Prince?" Shuichi backed away slightly.

"No, no, he's king now! His father high-tailed it out of Sakuya's manor after the party. Sakuya gave Ryuichi the title." Another demon corrected the pearl lady.

"Er… maybe some other time…" Shuichi grinned nervously, turned around, and ran for the video arcade. _Oh well, at least I got to finish most of my food…_ He passed the stage and noticed three males getting ready to sing. They all looked like women due to their makeup and wigs, but they had dark clothing on.

Shuichi found himself surrounded by games of every kind. He heard various beeping noises and all kinds of odd music. The arcade was packed with children and not many spaces were open. He looked all around until he found an open machine. A tiny, green-haired boy had just lost and stalked off unhappily.

"Kingdom Hearts II." Shuichi read the name of the game. "Never heard of it." About ninety percent of the kids turned to him incredulously. "S-sorry!"

"What rock were you living under?" A boy with blue wings sniffed, offended.

"You Neanderthal!" Another one tossed her head haughtily. Shuichi blushed and turned to the game. The screen was white and there were two choices on the screen. "I won't give up!" or "It's all over…". Shuichi chose the top one and the white screen vanished. He saw Mickey Mouse standing and moved the controller.

Mickey Mouse moved, too. "Wow! I can command Mickey?" Shuichi pressed "X" and began attacking a man with black hair carrying about five long spear-looking things. Mickey was using a key of some kind to hit the man. His opponent looked evil enough, dressed in a long-sleeved, black robe of some kind.

Shuichi pressed the triangle just as the game instructed, used the circle to jump around and the square to use some sort of special attack. He kept attacking the evil man until Mickey went away for some reason.

Now Shuichi was commanding a boy with spiky brown hair wearing an odd, multicolored outfit holding a different key in his hand. He saw Donald Duck and Beast from some Disney movie fighting alongside him. He rapidly pressed the triangle over and over again, attacking while he did so.

"You can do it!" The girl who had yelled at him before was now cheering him on. "I can't believe you've never played this before. You're good!"

"Yeah! Keep pressing triangle so you can use Beast's limit! It's awesome!" The other kid shouted loudly. "Try using Master Mode when the gauge reaches five. Sora's outfit is sooooo cool!" His wings flapped about excitedly, sending out quills.

Shuichi had no idea what they were talking about. He was just glad they weren't yelling at him anymore. But he did press triangle an awful lot, until that blue bar on the right of the screen ran out. So he pressed another directional button and reached the command "Drive" and chose "Master".

Now the boy, Sora, was holding two keys in his hand and wearing a gold outfit. He _did_ look cool and he was faster, too. Shuichi began using a technique known as "button smashing", just pressing all the buttons rapidly, not that he knew it was a method. The girl shouted at him to press "Left 1" to use magic and he did. Soon he was blasting the dark man with fire, ice, and lightning.

Finally, the game slowed down and four different colored bars appeared on the right side of the screen. Shuichi guessed this was a good thing. Now the game was showing some kind of mini-movie or a scene.

"You did it!" The kids cheered and danced around. "You beat Xaldin!"

"C-can I finish playing now? Thanks for beating Xaldin…" The green-haired boy asked timidly.

"Sure you can." Shuichi's heart melted at the hope on the boy's face. He patted the boy's head and gently pushed him forward. "You go fight them." The boy happily took the controls, waiting for the scene to be over. Shuichi watched as Beauty and Beast began dancing together without any music. It was romantic, in a cute way. Shuichi continued watching the boy play, until…

"Hey Ichigo!" Someone shouted at Shuichi. He froze and turned around. It was Ramechi and he did _NOT_ look happy. He slithered over and crossed his arms over his chest. "Didn't I tell you to wait? Was that too much to ask?"

"Er… hi?" Shuichi grinned sheepishly. "Sorry…" The children stared at Ramechi and then Shuichi. _Crap… I'm in trouble…_

"Don't yell at Ichigo!" The tiny boy turned around and growled at Ramechi, baring _huge_ fangs. "I might need her for the next Boss Battle." His eyes flashed red for a nanosecond and then returned to their normal color (orange).

"Yeah, leave her alone! Maybe she doesn't want to be with you!" The girl snapped out, once again tossing her long tresses. "Personally, I wouldn't either." Shuichi noticed that sparkles were beginning to come off her hair.

Ramechi's left eyebrow twitched. "Excuse me?" His tail began moving around erratically. "Ichigo, we're leaving."

"Huh? Why?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side.

"Because you can't follow orders, you must be punished." Ramechi's tail wrapped around Shuichi's tiny waist and began pulling the half-demon towards him. Shuichi let out a surprised yelp and squirmed around, resulting in Ramechi's tail squeezing around him tightly.

"Let go of me!" Shuichi shouted loudly. By this time, all the kids in the arcade were looking at them. The green-haired boy, the girl who liked to flick her hair and the blue-winged boy all jumped on top of Ramechi.

The first released his fangs and bit Ramechi right on his left shoulder. Saliva and blood began dripping down Ramechi's chest. The girl elongated her hair and wrapped it around Ramechi's neck. Multicolored sparkles secreted from her hair, causing Ramechi to cough. The winged boy flew right on top of Ramechi and began beating the snake with his wings.

Shuichi looked at the saliva and grinned maliciously. He closed his eyes and concentrated, thinking back to Apollyon's lesson. He imagined the saliva and blood mixing together, forming some kind of corrosive material that would burn right through Ramechi's shoulder. It would make a huge, smoking hole. The liquid would burn right through his skin, through whatever was in between, and then burn another hole on the back of his shoulder. Yeah, that would hurt, a lot.

Ramechi's loud scream confirmed Shuichi's actions. He screamed so loud all three kids got off him hurriedly. Shuichi's eyes snapped open. Ramechi slumped over slightly, breathing heavily. There were holes in _both_ his left and right shoulders, with smoke rising for both of them. He coughed loudly, bringing up even more blood that fell onto the floor.

"YOU!" Ramechi's eyes turned blood red. The grip on Shuichi increased tenfold and he let out an identical scream. Shuichi knew that some of his bones were broken or crushed. "YOU THINK YOU CAN GET THE BEST OF ME?"

"Ichigo!" The green-haired boy cried out and ran towards them. Shuichi was tossed in the air and Ramechi used his tail to roughly smack the boy to the ground. A bunch of kids began screaming and some ran out of the arcade, calling for their parents. Shuichi scowled angrily and landed back on the ground.

"Tiril!" The girl with the long hair cried out, holding out a hand as if she wanted to save him. Shuichi ran so that he was in front of the girl and the boy with the blue wings. "Raphael, save him!"

Raphael, the winged boy growled, flew _over_ Shuichi, and zipped at Ramechi. Ramechi tried to whip Raphael, but he dodged it nimbly and punched Ramechi right in the middle of the chest. Shuichi held his hands out in front of him and released a ball of hot water at Ramechi. The hot water splashed all over his new wounds and he hissed loudly.

Raphael flew over to the tiny boy, Tiril and picked him up. He flew back to the girl and placed Tiril at her feet. "There, happy, Mary?" Raphael rolled his dark blue eyes and flapped his wings eagerly. "Now can I finish him?"

"Yes, you can." Mary nodded her head and her long, silver hair released more sparkles. Her gray eyes found Shuichi's purple ones. "And you shall help."

"Of course!" Shuichi grinned down at the little girl, who was clearly more powerful than she looked. His smiled faded slightly when he looked at Tiril, the cute boy with the messy green hair and the even cuter smile. "For Tiril."

"For Raziel!" Raphael cheered out, lifting off into the air. Ramechi shook his tail menacingly and advanced towards the two. Mary picked Raziel up and hid behind a tiny booth that read "Halo 3".

Raphael took the offensive first, flying at the snake, ready to deliver another punch. But Ramechi saw it coming and held his hand out. A huge brick wall erected up from nowhere in front of Raphael and he stopped short. "Huh?" Raphael looked back at Shuichi. Big mistake. In a nanosecond, the brick wall was gone and Ramechi had Raphael in a choke hold.

Shuichi's eyes bugged out of his skull. _What the heck just happened here?_ Then he remembered: Ramechi was a master at illusions. He couldn't trust his sight anymore. "Raphael, don't use your eyes! He uses illusions!"

"You tell him that _now_? You fool!" Mary shouted angrily from her hiding space. Shuichi winced guiltily and scratched his head. "Don't just stand there like a boob! Attack him already!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Shuichi saluted the video game machine and smirked at Ramechi. He jumped in the air and sent out a huge wave of water Ramechi. He wove his hands and froze the water right as it hit Ramechi. Shuichi ran forward and jumped on top of ice, near where Ramechi's tail was holding Raphael. He quickly melted the ice in that spot and Raphael dropped to the ground.

"Thanks…" Raphael got up and dusted the ice chips off himself. "You specialize in water? My element's air; let's combine them."

"Sure." Shuichi grinned evilly, turning to the now frozen Ramechi. "This is _really_ going to hurt." He held his hands out and imagined all the ice burning up, burning at immensely hot temperatures.

The ice was burning so much, it couldn't possibly be ice anymore. As a matter of fact, it skipped the liquid stage and went right to steam. The hotly-charged gas particles were marring Ramechi beyond repair.

"Booyah!" Raphael shot a fist into the air. "My turn!"

Raphael spread his wings out as far as they could go, his arms doing the same. Beams of light formed at his fingertips and his wingtips, creating a pillar of light around him. The beams began spinning around rapidly, forming a brightly lit, white tornado. Raphael's wings and arms fell and the tornado spun out to attack Ramechi. It blew right through Ramechi, blasting him into another part of the room. That was when Shuichi began to notice the damage they had done to the room beforehand. And the fact that the party seemed to be devoid of all its guests.

_Uh-oh… I think I just ruined someone's birthday party…_ Shuichi smacked himself in the forehead. _Jeez, and I wasn't even invited… Come to think of it, this is the second party I've ruined._ He made a mental note to find the girl once he was ruler of all the realms. He'd give her a bigger birthday party that wouldn't be interrupted by an angry snake demon. Yeah, that would work.

Ramechi sprung off the ground and began coiling around in the air. Suddenly, about ten copies of him appeared. "Sugar honey iced tea…" Raphael let out a sigh. "I'll take the ones on the left, cuz I'm left-handed."

"Whatever floats your boat." Shuichi shrugged and stared down the Ramechi copies on the right. Shuichi jumped and did a back flip to avoid one a copy's tail. He then found himself in the arms of another copy. Literally, strong arms were crushing his already crushed stomach. Waves of pain went through his body. Shuichi was getting tired of being squeezed like a stuffed animal.

Raphael was blasting the copies with tornadoes, but they kept coming back. He was soon overtaken by five of them. The remaining five began prancing about the room, looking for Mary and Tiril, destroying everything in their path. The copies soon found the two children. Tiril was now awake and alert. He growled at one copy and bit the tail of the copy nearest to him. The copy wrapped its tail around Tiril and began squeezing. Mary let out a shriek of protest.

Enough was enough. Shuichi was pissed. "LET GO OF ME!" He could feel all of his energy around him, his anger, his pain, his frustration. "Let's see how you like being confused!" All of the water around him changed into ten copies of himself. That's right. There were ten Shuichis all around him. Completely identical copies to be precise, who were all capable of wielding water.

* * *

**Alrighty then. We're all good to go. Next up Chapter 17: A Second Chance! The battle between Shuichi and Ramechi continues! But... will the winner _truly_ be victorious? And are these children really who they appear to be? Wait for it!**


	23. Mother's Day Special

**Well I read a book by Mary Higgins Clark No Place Like Home and listened to "Saku" by Dir en grey about a million times. Bad combination lol. This special is the product of it. Note: This is not a happy chapter lol. One could almost call it the Antimother's day special, but... I'll let you decide.**

**Lol I'm actually kinda proud. I wrote this all in one night. I rock! ((Instead of doing my homework. When I flunk out of school, you'll know why)) Then again, it doesn't make much sense. I'll admit, this isn't one of my best chapters. **

**And this chapter reflects nothing of the way I feel about my Mom. Lol writing this chapter actually made me appreciate her more. So that's the lesson of today's special: Appreciate your Moms, readers! Be glad they're not like this one!**

**Disclaimer: Dir en grey owns me, Luciver but owns _demonic_ Michael, who makes a short appearance in this chapter.

* * *

**

_**MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL:**_

_**GILDED, GOLDEN, GUTTED

* * *

Manchu Shindou was hungry. Well, he was a growing boy of eight. Who had been kicked out of his home for two whole years and counting. Who also had no idea how to get food. After living on his own for so long, he was starting to run out of places to go, food to steal, and odd jobs to take. Manchu knew what he had to do. He had to go find his Mother, who resided in the Human Realm. **_

So on that bright, spring day, Manchu (the little demon boy that lived in a dense forest not too far from his father's manor) decided to travel back to the city and find those gates that led to the Half-Demon Realm. And from there he would find some kind of rift in the dimensions and discover the Human Realm. It was all relatively simple. At least… it sounded simple.

Manchu jumped down from the tree branch he was lying on and landed on the ground in front of his favorite lake. This lake had the cleanest, clearest, and tastiest water ever! Manchu leaned forward to look at his reflection: long, shaggy black hair sprawled out before him. He blinked his crimson eyes twice and then shook his head wildly. His long strands of hair whipped about, some of them causing ripples to move about the lake.

Manchu wore raggedly faded clothing: a black jacket with a giant gold and silver eye on the back and baggy, black pants that had been ripped at the knees. His face was dirty and covered with scratches, as was the rest of his body. Because, if there is no adult to tell a young boy to bathe, why would he? But Manchu knew he had to look his best if he was going to see his mother.

"I'll do it!" Manchu was about to brave the chilly water for his mother. "I'll take a bathe." Something he hadn't done for a while. It was all for his mother. He really missed her, even though she hated him. Manchu let out a long sigh and removed his clothing, if you could even call it that. "Geronimo!" He cried out and leapt into the lake. "Aaaaaah! Cold!"

* * *

Manchu leapt and swung from tree branch to tree branch rapidly, moving towards the huge city where his father lived. He was really, _really_ clean and he had even washed his hair: which was a lot of hair to wash, considering he hadn't had a haircut in two years. So the young boy was pretty proud of himself. 

Manchu halted and put one hand on a large, brown tree trunk. "I'm almost back home." He could feel it. It was time to travel on foot, lest he attract attention to himself. He jumped down, landing on roots covered in green grass. He could hear the various demons all around, one of the most prominent demon cities around: Bohemia. He had once been proud to call Bohemia his home. But now? He had been cast out in the most embarrassing way. He began running towards the city.

Manchu's father, Lord Sakuya Shindou's first wife: Seki and their son, Shuichi had been brutally murdered by demon assassins. Someone had hired them. And who had Manchu's father ridiculously accused? Manchu's mother: Reiko. So both Reiko and Manchu were no longer welcome at his manor.

But Manchu knew that his mother had nothing to do with their deaths. Even though he had never met his older half-brother, Shuichi or Seki, he knew that Reiko loved Seki, that they were best friends. He also knew that it was his fault all of this was happening, Reiko had told him herself many times.

"_If you hadn't been born, Seki could have been happy with Sakuya forever."_ Reiko had hissed at her son angrily one night. Yes, it was Manchu's fault that Seki and Shuichi had been forced to leave Bohemia and travel to Kyoto. It was his very existence that kept Seki from the demon she loved. Manchu was driving everyone insane, including his mother. No, wait. His mother was crazy before he was born. He just enhanced it. A lot.

How many times had Reiko denounce her only son in public? How many times had she slapped him, ridiculed him, and even neglected him? How many times had he heard "I hate you", instead of "I love you"? Manchu rubbed the tears from his blood red eyes. Even though his mother hated him, he still missed her. He didn't like being alone and he was sure that his mother didn't want to be alone either. So he would go to Kyoto and begin his search there.

* * *

Manchu walked around the busy, crowded streets of Bohemia. He finally stopped at the familiar silver gates. He slowly glanced up, taking in the extensive driveway filled with trees, lush gardens, and hot springs that led to the top of the hill with the three towers and the gigantic manor that had once been his home. Smiling sadly, he continued walking down the street, looking for the gigantic black gates that led to the Half-Demon Realm. 

Manchu felt out of place. Every demon in Bohemia looked so sophisticated and powerful compared to him- even the babies! He might have been clean, but his clothes were still in tatters and he was barefoot. Plus, his hair was too long and kept getting in his way.

Manchu didn't like all the white buildings in Bohemia. It was blinding and gave the appearance that Bohemia was a haven of some kind. It wasn't. It was home to demons. There wasn't anything heavenly about demons. But then again, it would be easier to find the gates. So there was some kind of advantage in this hypocrisy.

"Gilded, gilded, gilded." Manchu giggled to himself. The society of demon lords was highly gilded, that was the one thing his mother taught him. They all seemed to be demon of business, but deep down, his mother had said, they were all murderers. They didn't just bear their fangs, sit cross-legged, and drink wine, basking in their wealth. Hypocrisy was everywhere and if you didn't watch out, you would get sucked in.

Manchu blinked as a limo zoomed passed him on the street. It was so loud, it almost scared him. But now, Manchu was really hungry. He missed his forest already and wanted to go back and find some plants to eat.

"No, no, no!" Manchu shook his head vigorously. He had gotten this far on strength alone; now it was time to use magic. He bared his sharp fangs and unleashed his huge wings. His multihued wings were large, due to the phoenix in him. His wings were stripped gold and silver and the tips were black and red. His long hair became streaked with metallic blue.

Manchu rose high in the air, ignoring the stares and shouts. He finally spotted the black gates and zipped towards them hurriedly.

Manchu flapped his wings magnificently and kept his eyes on the gates. As he drew near, he could see archaic designs and symbols all over the gates. He wondered what they all meant. He knew that most demons never set foot beyond those gates. There were alternative ways to get to the Human Realm, like a Teleportation Permit. But he didn't know how to teleport, so that didn't matter.

Manchu landed on a giant white roof of a building that was in front of the gates. He vaguely remembered that it was a bank of some kind. Manchu whirled around. Time had frozen everything, except himself and the demons.

A group of red-winged demons had trailed him here. He could only point out their red wings because they all wore hooded, black cloaks that covered everything else. The demons circled around him and finally landed on the roof. Manchu gulped and hastily looked around, but he knew there was no escape.

"It is he, it is he." The demons chanted. "Lead us to Nadir! Lead us to Nadir!" Manchu wrinkled his nose in confusion. What the heck was "Nadir"? "Begin the revolution, begin the revolution!"

Manchu inwardly sighed. _The one day I return, I get corned by some kind of demon cult. Just my luck, I'll never find Mom now… But maybe if I do what they say, they'll let me go quickly._ "Okay, what do I have to do?" Manchu knew he wasn't doing the right thing, but he also knew he was running out of time. He also knew he couldn't win against ten or so demons.

"Construct the Hybrid, construct the Hybrid." The demons continued. They began circling around Manchu in a slow, rhythmic way. "Lead us to Nadir! Lead us to Nadir!"

"Master." One demon exited the circle and knelt down before the boy. "I humbly beseech you to accept our gift. We have been alive since the Golden Days and we have retained three hundred Type Zero Enchantments."

"Uh… who are you?" Manchu cocked his head to one side. _I should have paid attention during those history lessons, back when I had them... All those words sound familiar… but yet…_

"I have no name, Master." The demon answered. "Our only purpose is to provide you with ample power."

"But why would you want to give me power?" Manchu scowled. He was so lost. All he wanted to do was find his mother! This was a waste of time. What the heck did the "zero" mean, anyways? Zero was practically equal to nothing.

"It has been foretold that you will lead us to Nadir. You will construct the Hybrid. You will begin the revolution of all revolutions." The demon's red wings began glowing and then the other demons' wings began glowing as well.

Manchu watched in shock as all the wings detached themselves and ascended high into the air. The wings began molding together, surrounding the area with light. The demon cult continued chanting and chanting: "Come to us, Blade of Lamentations. Come to us, Blade of Lamentations."

Then, the one demon ceased chanting and told Manchu: "Take the light, Master." The demon beckoned to the red light high in the sky. Gritting his teeth, Manchu jumped in the air towards the blinding light and grasped onto something solid. His hand felt a hilt of some kind.

Manchu landed back on the ground. The demon cult ceased its chanting and stared at him. They had sacrificed their wings to give Manchu a weapon of some kind. Manchu studied the blade in his hand.

The hilt was black, with sharp ridges on it. As he held it up to the light, Manchu saw a silver, black, and red eye embedded on it. The blade itself was long, thing, silver, and sleek, covered in ancient, red hieroglyphics.

"The Blade of Lamentations?" Manchu cocked his head to one side. Sure, it was nice sword, but what was he supposed to do with it?

"You, Master, who had been mistreated, pour your sorrow into this blade." The demon spoke gently to Manchu. "Feed this blade and it will give you unthinkable power."

Manchu thought back to every time his mother had mistreated him. How as soon as they had been kicked out of their home, she had disowned and abandoned her only son. How all his life, all he wanted was his mother's love, but had never received it. Actually, he was surprised that his mother hadn't killed him yet.

Manchu didn't even realize that he had closed his eyes, but once he did, he rapidly opened them. The sword shone an eerie blue.

"Lead us, Master, lead us!" The demons began chanting excitedly. They began circling around Manchu once more. Manchu became afraid and held the sword closer to him. "To Nadir, to Nadir!"

_What about these Type Zeroes? Can I use them to get rid of these guys?_ Manchu studied the eye on the hilt. It was creepy, but it seemed to hold wisdom. He knew that something was terribly wrong. He knew that these demons somehow froze time so that nothing could move but them. He knew that no one else could help him or save him. _Help me, please! All I want to do is find my Mom! Make these guys go away! They're scary and I want things back to normal!_

"Anguis in herba!" Manchu screamed out wildly, holding the sword with two hands high above his head. The sword changed into a gigantic black and green snake with red triangles on its back and a beige stomach with red horizontal slashes placed equally distant of one another. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

"No, Master, no!" The demons cried out. But it was too late. The snake opened its large mouth and emitted poisonous, caustic golden fire. Manchu jumped into the air to avoid the blaze. It then leapt forward, coiled around the demons, and ate them all simultaneously.

Manchu landed back on the ground, breathily heavily. The snake turned its giant head to Manchu and stared. It had lime green eyes and narrow black pupils. "Take me to Reiko, my mother!" Manchu ordered, pointing his blade at the snake. The snake closed its head and lowered it to the ground.

As soon as Manchu climbed on top of the snake's head, time unfroze. Noise returned to the once deadly silent Bohemia. Manchu pointed his sword at the black gates. "To the Human Realm! Kyoto, preferably." Manchu sat down Indian-style.

The snake flew high into the air. Its speed was unimaginable. Manchu held onto his blade for dear life. His long hair flapped wildly about in the wind. He was surprised he could even breathe at this altitude. He lost count of how many clouds they had passed.

Manchu finally let out a scream as he saw a giant black hole in front of them. Ignoring his screams, the snake flew into the hole. Manchu closed his eyes, because the darkness terrified him. He was thrown harshly to the ground.

Manchu opened his eyes and sat up on the ground. His sword was right next to him on the ground, but the snake was nowhere to be found. He used it to help himself up and then began to study his surroundings. He was in an alley of some kind, filled with odd metal structures that smelled horribly. The structures around him were made of red stones. Noises and smells of all kinds bombarded Manchu's ears. The air was thicker and dirtier. Manchu didn't like it at all.

Manchu crept out to the end of the alleyway and looked out onto the strange place. It seemed to be a foggy city of some kind, with a filthy walkway and crowded streets with tiny yellow limos. Filled with… humans! Non-winged, non-magical beings. None of them had blue streaks in their hair or multicolored wings.

Manchu concentrated hard and withdrew his wings back into his body. His hair returned to normal. The only problem was his eyes. Normal humans didn't have red eyes. He would just keep looking at the ground. Manchu took a deep breath and prepared to brave this new, bizarre world. Just as he was about to exit the alley, someone grabbed the back of his jacket and yanked him back.

Manchu swung his blade his around to attack whoever touched him, but then froze. It was his mother who held him back. Yes, Reiko, in all her gruesome glory was standing before him. She looked exactly as he had remembered her in his nightmares: short silver hair and eyes identical to his. Her cold face that held no love for him. From her narrowed eyes, to her scowling lips, to her stubbornly set jaw. Every inch of Reiko's body seemed to loathe Manchu.

"What are you doing here?" Reiko snapped out, holding a hand back, prepared to slap the abomination already. "Where did you get that sword?"

"None of your business!" Manchu shouted back angrily. _Why did I even bother coming back?_ Manchu was stupid. His mother wasn't lonely at all- he was. He wanted someone to be with him eternally, someone to love him unconditionally and unquestioningly. Reiko would never be that one.

Reiko moved her hand to slap Manchu, but Manchu blocked it with the Blade of Lamentations. Reiko's arm began bleeding, but it rapidly healed. Manchu growled and bared his fangs at Reiko. "I hate you! It's not my fault I was born; it was yours! If you hate me so much, then kill me right now!" Manchu screamed.

He couldn't take it anymore. His mother hated him, his father disowned him, and his half-brother, the only one who might have been able to protect him was dead. He was alone in the world. He lifted the sword high in the air, prepared to kill his mother. The pain was just too much for him to bear.

"You dare raise a hand to me?" Reiko hissed and released her phoenix wings. Manchu hissed back at her and released his as well. Numerous multicolored feathers lit up the dark alley. The two beings flew high into the air, past the fog. Manchu held his blade as if it was a bat of some kind. Reiko flew at him quickly and as soon as she neared him, he swung with all his might. _Crack._ The blade had struck her right in the abdomen.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Manchu shrieked out, swiping uncontrollably with the sword a million times over. Reiko finally ceased her attack, staring attentively at the boy. Manchu kept on screaming and feeding energy into the sword with his sorrow. He was blinded by his own pain, so blinded that he couldn't even see his mother anymore.

Reiko knew that the sword was dangerous. It was taking over Manchu's mind. It was true; she did loathe Manchu. But he was still her son. Reiko let out a loud birdlike shriek and dove at Manchu. He didn't even realize she was coming for his sword. Reiko socked Manchu right in the stomach. His eyes opened in shock; he had broken out of his hysterical stupor.

Manchu's eyes closed and his tiny body began to fall. Wrinkling her nose, Reiko caught him with one hand. She scowled at the sword, which continued to hover in the air. She reached out a hand to touch it, but the air around the blade repelled her hand backwards. She let out an angry shriek of pain and quickly restored her hand to normal. The sword was better off away from her son.

Reiko soared back down to the human city she had lived in for two years. Landing quickly on a random roof, she thanked heaven that it was a foggy day outside. Reiko placed her unconscious son down on the cold, hard ground. She sat down in front of him and watched him sleep. Reiko began to cry and pulled her knees close to her body. What had she done to this little boy?

_I spread my insanity to him… I drove my own son mad. How could I be so heartless?_ Reiko took a deep breath, trying to stop her tears. But she was overcome with shame. How had she been blinded all these years? What made her hate her own son so much? Where did the darkness come from? Reiko couldn't handle it. She had emotionally abused her son until he broke.

Reiko moaned out loud, gripping her silver locks tightly. What a mother she had been. She looked down at the humans on the streets passing by unknowingly. She was no better than them. But how… how could she ask her son for forgiveness?

As if to mock her, fate chose to let her son awaken at that moment. Manchu opened his red eyes and saw his mother sitting before him. He jumped up to his feet and looked around wildly, trying to find his sword.

"Manchu…" Reiko let out a long sigh and wiped her tears away. He stared suspiciously at her and backed away. "Stay for a moment. I must-"

"Why should I listen to _anything_ you have to say?" Manchu screamed out, his eyes practically convulsing in torment. "You hate me, you hate me, you hate me! I've heard it a thousand times- I won't hear it anymore! No, no, no!"

Reiko did the only thing she could, she wrapped her arms tightly around the small boy and held him close to her. Something she had never done before. Even when Manchu was an infant, she had always left the nurturing and pampering to some servant to take care of. Manchu froze and struggled, but Reiko refused to let him go. For once, she was going to act like a mother. And try to undo some of the damage she did to her son.

Reiko began petting Manchu's long black hair. It was surprisingly clean and soft. She hummed a sweet, melodic tune that she had heard from Seki once and it seemed to have a calming effect on Manchu.

"My fledgling, I have done you wrong in many ways. But know this: it was not you I truly hated, but the world that you were born into. A world where a human and a demon cannot love in public, where half-demons are slaughtered due to prejudice, where I am not free to find my one true love. Half of me wishes to die, to surround myself with eternal darkness and never be found again, but the other half tells me that I am of great importance, that I have some role to play.

"These conflicting feelings, they madden me, my mind, my soul, my very being. I was never mentally fit to be a mother, but having you was the one thing that bound Sakuya and me together." Reiko broke off, holding back tears of guilt.

"So I was an accident." Manchu said flatly. "You never wanted me, so why hold me now?" Reiko winced, but took it. She knew she deserved it.

"I know that I loathe you, with irrationality and insanity guiding my feelings. I know that you wish to lash out at me, with perfectly good reason." Reiko combed her fingers through Manchu's hair. "I'm not sure I'm completely ready to be a mother, but I'm willing to try. I'm not asking you to like me, just try to tolerate me for a while. I promise eventually we'll make this work."

"Why?" Manchu choked out, tears falling from his eyes. "Why are you doing this? Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"No, this is me trying to… mature." Reiko raised her eyes to the heavens. "Whether I like it or not, you're my son and my responsibility. Everything you do is a reflection of me. Everything you are represents what I have been. I saw the same oblivion in my eyes many years ago. The oblivion that comes from pain and torment beyond imagination. And I realized: I was the source of that pain. I became the very thing I loathed the most. Manchu, I lost to hypocrisy."

"You got sucked in." Manchu said immediately, remembering her words.

"Yes, I got sucked in. Unfortunately, I took you halfway with me." Reiko hung her head in shame. "There is a strong possibility that you will one day acquire a child and treat that child the same way I treated you. The cycle of abuse is never-ending, so it seems."

"Why would I wish that on anyone?" Manchu frowned and suddenly didn't want to be in his mother's arms anymore.

"You say that now, but one day, a child's life will be in your hands. That child will be powerless; he or she will depend on you for everything. You can either exploit or foster that child." Reiko smiled grimly and stomped combing her son's hair. "But enough of that. You will not be having a child anytime soon."

"True." Manchu shrugged and broke free of his mother's embrace. "So… what now?" Reiko stood up and stretched her legs and arms.

"We shall depart. Is there anywhere you wish to go?" Reiko unfurled her wings and fluttered them quickly.

"No preference." Manchu liberated his wings as well.

"Well then. We are going to buy some roses to put into my apartment." Reiko rose into the air and Manchu followed suit. Together, they flew through the fog. Manchu took in all the new human sites around him: the oddly built buildings, the either too small or too big limos, the smoke constantly going up into his nostrils, the loud wailing noises that relentlessly rang in his ears, the smell of foreign and strange foods.

"Why?" Manchu frowned. Why did she want flowers?

"Because it's Mother's Day and I'm a mother." Reiko said curtly. "It's Mother's Day. It's always celebrated on the second Sunday in May to commemorate all mothers around this country."

"Are you sure you deserve them?" Manchu asked before he could stop himself. _Oh well… why should I apologize anyway?_

"I'm not going to pretend that you didn't just hurt me." Reiko shook her head sadly. "But Manchu, watch your words, lest you get sucked into hypocrisy."

"It's too late for me." Manchu shrugged carelessly. "I know I hurt your feelings; that's why I said it. I'm already a hypocrite."

"We are both damned, Manchu." Reiko finally spotted the flower shop she was looking for. "But either way, I want my roses."

"Whatever." Manchu rolled his shoulders backwards, stretching. "I'll be waiting up here while you go get them." Reiko raised an eyebrow and began lowering herself to the ground.

Whether it was by some unknown, childish instinct or some stirring in his heart, Manchu opened his mouth and cried out: "Mother?" Reiko's head shot up in surprise. "…Happy Mother's Day." Manchu blushed as a genuine smile lit up Reiko's face. "Not that you deserve it or anything." But it was too late to take back what he had said. He couldn't fool her. And maybe… he had no intention of fooling her in the first place. He knew that he would never be able to complete forgive his mother or love her for that matter, but he would be there with her. Until the end.

* * *

Manchu opened his eyes. He was sitting on the couch in his study, studying more ancient scrolls. He was supposed to be looking for a new spell to teach Michael. But he had fallen asleep in the process. Manchu stood up and stretched. 

"Michael." Manchu called out and the demonic boy appeared in front of him. "That's enough training for today. You are free to do whatever you wish." In reality, Manchu was unnerved by his dreams. Why would he suddenly remember _that_ particular day? He stole a look at the calendar on his desk. It was the fourteenth of May, the second Sunday of the month. Mother's day.

Michael stared at him quizzically. "What's wrong?" Michael sat down on the cold, hard floor. He followed Manchu's look and saw the date. _Mother's Day?_

"I have become what I hated most." Manchu let out a cruel laugh. "She was exactly right. And now you're trapped, too. The cycle of abuse continues on…" Michael studied Manchu intently.

_And I thought I was crazy…_ Michael resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Ten bucks says he commits suicide before the decade is up. _

"_Ten bucks says I slaughter him before the decade is up."_ Michael's demonic half snarled, wanting to take advantage of Manchu's weak mental state. But Michael was getting better at ignoring the demon's chilling statements.

"If I'm not going to train, then what am I going to do for the rest of the night?" Michael asked, already feeling bored.

"Be thankful that I'm not whipping you." Manchu said simply, as if it was the solution to world peace. Michael raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Fine then." He made a waving motion with his hands and three DVDs appeared, floating in the air. "Edward Scissorhands, The Corpse Bride, or The Brothers Grimm?"

"Hmmm… I'll have to go with Corpse Bride." Michael grinned. "I read a really cool version of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' the other day. The author used the word 'macabre'. I'm going to name one of my attacks that one day."

"You go do that." Manchu wove his hand a TV screen appeared. The DVD disappeared into the screen and it shimmered, turning itself on.

"Happy Mother's Day, Manchu." Michael smirked wryly.

* * *

**So that's it. Before you completely bash this chapter, I promise the next one continuing the battle between Shu and Ramechi will be out soon. Like next weekend soon. Yeah... Oooh, that should make you happy, neee?**


	24. Chapter 17: A Second Chance

**Hello everyone! And the battle between Ramechi and Shuichi closes, with an unexpected occurrence. Identities are revealed, secrets are told, and what's this- Shuichi's a babysitter again? Lol, well to find out what the heck is going on, why don't you guys read it?**

**Let's see… I don't own the song "We Are So Last Year". Hawthorne Heights and their filthy rich producers do. Btw, I LOVE that song lol. **

**Shout out to all my readers and reviewers, lol especially the reviewers. You guys have no idea how your words push me along. Makes me feel good lol. **

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**_CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:_**

**_A SECOND CHANCE _**

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It seemed as if the video arcade (or what was left of it) was frozen in place. The Ramechi copies got off Raphael, the other copies retreated away from Mary and Tiril, and the copies near Shuichi slithered off swiftly. Mary's eyebrows were raised and Tiril had the largest grin on his face. Raphael was breathing heavily, his eyes fixated on the eleven Shuichis.

"Ramechi! You've gone too far!" All of the Shuichis shouted out, the real one right smack in the middle. Shuichi inwardly smirked. He began forming a water cyclone in his mind, remembering the tiny bubble. How compact it was, and how much power it actually held. He knew that the other copies were thinking of the same thing. They had to be. But wait… did they actually think?

_None of them have any idea where I am._ Shuichi crossed his arms over his chest and his copies rapidly followed suit, so quickly that no one noticed that he had initiated the movement. _This is really cool!_

"Go Ichigo!" Tiril did a happy dance. "You're coolest girl I've met in my life." Mary glared at him. "Oh… you're okay, I guess." He was rewarded with a hit on the head. "He-ey! You're not supposed to hit me; I'm injured!"

It was time for Shuichi to come clean. There was no need to keep up the act; he had nothing to lose. "Erm, about that. I'm not actually a girl…" The Shuichis said sheepishly, scratching their heads. Tiril's mouth dropped open and Raphael started laughing loudly and bent over, holding his stomach. Mary just sniffed and rolled her eyes. She probably knew all along; she had a very astute look about her.

"WHAT?" Ramechi and his copies were really angry now. "I'M NOT GAY!" All the copies (and Ramechi somewhere among them) glided at the Shuichis, ready to compress the life out of them. Red eyes and red hair seemed to surround Shuichi and his copies.

Then, Shuichi released his tiny bubble and the copies followed suit. They all floated into the air gently, as if they were normal bubbles. "Get out of here!" Shuichi and his copies shouted in unison at the three kids. "NOW!"

Mary did not need to be told twice. She picked Tiril up by the back of his shirt and ran out of the room, with Raphael flying right behind her. As soon as Shuichi felt they were a good distance, he allowed his bubble to pop, freeing his gigantic water cyclone. Ten more bubbles popped and ten more lethal cyclones appeared, sweeping about the room violently.

Everyone one of Ramechi's clones was destroyed from the force of the cyclones, as was the rest of the room. The real Ramechi was stuck whirling around in a cyclone. Shuichi could feel wind blowing in through holes in the walls. The whole structure was falling apart from his power, his cyclones. The twisters continued churning around, obliterating _everything_ in their path.

Shuichi looked around for Ramechi, but couldn't find the snake anywhere. He had lost track of which cyclone was holding him. Feeling a sick feeling in his gust, he whirled around and found the snake staring right at him. "Ah!" He let out a surprised scream and backed away slightly.

"Found you." Ramechi grinned unkindly and reached for Shuichi. The half-demon held his hands out in front of him and eleven cyclones blasted into Ramechi. The cyclones threw him around, battering his body. But then, all the cyclones disappeared at the same time. Ramechi's body fell onto the rubble.

Shuichi's clones disappeared, leaving the real one behind. Shuichi feel to his knees, completely exhausted. _It probably wasn't a good idea to copy myself for the first time and release a bunch of cyclones using them… Man, I'm tired…_ Shuichi felt strong arms pick him up and they began to carry him somewhere. He was too weak to protest and he had no idea _who_ had picked him up.

* * *

Shuichi felt something tickle him and opened his eyes. It was a black feather, which was most likely attached to a black wing. His head bent backwards and he saw Apollyon looking down at him. "Apollyon?" Shuichi asked hopefully. The brown-haired angel smiled down at him. "Wow, it's really you!"

Shuichi and Apollyon were sitting down in the sand, the cold desert wind blowing through them. Shuichi shivered slightly, wishing that Apollyon would wrap his wings around him and make him warm. But he was happy nonetheless. The bright moon shone down on the two majestically.

Shuichi jumped forward and hugged the angel tightly. "I missed you so much! I have so much to tell you! Pollyon, you wouldn't believe it! I made copies of myself, I really did! I managed to maintain them pretty well, actually." He paused in his babbling as Apollyon put his hands on the half-demon's shoulders.

"Why did you leave?" Apollyon frowned slightly, his left hazel eye staring the half-demon down. "It took me a long time find you. I was worried." Shuichi smiled sheepishly and explained about his earlier hunger. "That's no excuse. I never told you that you could leave."

Shuichi frowned slightly. Sure, he had made a dumb mistake. But Apollyon was being a little ridiculous. He broke free of the angel's hold and narrowed his eyes accusingly. Something wasn't right. Shuichi felt the wind again and shivered. There was something he had forgotten; something that was amiss.

"Wait a minute… your hair is supposed to cover your left eye, not your right!" Shuichi pointed at Apollyon's face. "You're not him!" Then like a wave, he remembered: "RAMECHI!" The sandy world around Shuichi shattered and vanished, leaving him behind.

* * *

Shuichi found himself lying facedown on the sand. He sat up slowly and looked around. It was pitch black outside and the wind was rapidly ripping through his body, giving him chills all over. He saw one body on his left and two on his right. Raphael was sleeping next to him on one side and Tiril and Mary were on the other.

Without warning, Shuichi's mouth was covered before he could say anything. A familiar tail wrapped around his stomach tightly, bringing tears of pain to Shuichi's eyes. Tiril giggled happily in his sleep and rolled over. The tail began to drag Shuichi away from the other kids. Raphael reached out forlornly to nothing.

_Oh no… they must all be having fake dreams…_ Shuichi inwardly gasped. _But Ramechi can't perfect what he doesn't know. He made a mistake with Apollyon._

"You've caused a lot of trouble for me, half-breed." Ramechi whispered in Shuichi's ear threateningly, making the boy jump. "Embarrassing me by leaving me behind. I showed up at that party alone, _without_ the escort I had boasted having. Then I find that you've been interacting with plenty of party guests, having a grand old time while I actually thought something happened to you. I find you playing with children and I was without a date!

"Finally, to top it off, you reveal your gender to me, the most mortifying thing of all. Who do you think you are, you _pathetic_ excuse for life?" Ramechi's tail gripped Shuichi even tighter, who let out a muffled scream. Tears were rolling down his cheeks now. He was going to be snapped in two.

_I didn't make it all this way to die now…_ Shuichi shut his eyes stubbornly, blocking the rest of the tears. _If I die, what will become of Tiril, Raphael, and Mary? They'll be stuck inside that illusion forever… until Ramechi kills them…_

"So I've decided to turn over a new leaf." Ramechi's voice became soft and even more foreboding. "You obviously like to attract males; why else would you dress as a girl? Have you ever heard of date rape, Ichigo?" Shuichi froze. "Well, you're about to experience it."

_NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOO!_ He mentally screamed. Shuichi thought back to Taki and Manchu, that horrid ordeal he had to go through. But this time… Crimson wouldn't be there to save him. What was he going to do? Who was going to save him now? He shuddered wildly as Ramechi licked his ear.

_Not again… please no…_ Shuichi struggled, more tears falling from his eyes. _Not again…_ Something in him snapped. He was tired of being picked on, beat on, beat up, taken advantage of, left holding onto life while his foes spat in his face. He was tired of being weak and having to be saved all the time.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Shuichi shrieked out as he felt bony fingers probe his backside. Raw energy emitted off him in wild blue waves, making loud whirring noises. The wind around them picked up violently. Ramechi's grip on Shuichi lessened considerably. Shuichi was angry, extremely angry. He wanted to kill and he wanted to kill Ramechi. He had no idea when his nails had become claws, but he wasn't complaining. His claws angrily burst through Ramechi's tail.

Shuichi was finally free. He looked down at his claws, stained with Ramechi's red blood. He wanted to make Ramechi suffer, just as he had suffered for almost every day of his life. Shuichi ran at Ramechi, claws ready to rip through the snake completely. He pounced on top of the surprised demon, bent his head back, and bit onto Ramechi's arm. As Shuichi pulled away from the snake and spat out blood, he felt strong fangs in his mouth. He reached a claw up to touch them and was pleasantly surprised. He began clawing at Ramechi wildly, watching with glee as snakeskin and blood went flying everywhere.

"I-Ichigo?" A scared voice called out. Shuichi froze and turned around. Ramechi (or what was left of him) fell to the ground. Tiril was awake and staring at him with wide, terrified eyes. Shuichi looked down at himself. There was blood all over him. His sense, reason, and morality all returned to him simultaneously. But that didn't make the blood go away.

Shuichi was horrified. _What… what did I do?_ He began to back away, tears of shame and guilt pouring down his cheeks. _What's wrong with me? I can't believe I just did that… _And the worst part was, a little part of him _liked_ it. Was this how Crimson felt after a kill? Did he hide all the guilt, store it away in some dark place?

"Ichigo?" Tiril fearfully crept forward, eyeing Ramechi on the ground. "You… you killed him." Shuichi's eyes closed tightly. He slumped to the floor and openly sobbed, holding himself. Tiril kept inching towards Shuichi.

The moon suddenly appeared, lighting up the desert. "Hey, what's going on? This isn't Heaven!" Mary shouted indignantly, sitting up. Raphael woke up soon after, stretching his wings out. Then he froze and turned around.

"What did you do?" Raphael rose immediately in the air, his wings flapping around hastily. He helped Mary to her feet and she saw Ramechi's body. She made a disgusted noise and turned around. Then she turned back around, because she had seen Tiril. "Tiril, get away from him!"

"He's a monster." Mary said matter-of-factly. "We should have realized it from the start. Raphael, this was a waste of our time." Tiril looked back at Mary, but kept on moving towards Shuichi. "Tiril, did you hear Raphael? Get _away_ from Shuichi! That is an order, demon!"

Shuichi's head snapped up and he stared at Mary. "Who are you?" Shuichi demanded accusingly, standing up. "How do you know my real name?"

"Raphael and I are Twin Flames. We were sent down here from Heaven to test you. Because Crimson was separated from you, you now have to fend for yourself. It seems that you can't even control your bloodlust or your emotions for that matter." Mary walked forward, quickly passing Tiril and pushing the boy to the ground. "Now mind you, this isn't what we really look or act like. These forms are only proportional to our true power and status. Because we were brought into Hell, naturally our personas were corrupted. So in actuality, we're nothing like this in Heaven. Unfortunately, you get the worst of us."

"You've failed your second test, Shuichi. You have immense power, but no control over it." Raphael said sadly, his wings still flapping about. He snapped his fingers and all the blood on Shuichi disappeared. His wounds were healed as well.

"You're not demons?" Tiril cocked his head to one side, sitting up on the sand. "Gee, you even had me fooled." Shuichi turned to the boy and almost laughed out loud. Then he remembered how serious things had become.

"Tiril here is a Fallen Angel with no memory of his past." Mary gestured to the boy thoughtlessly, as if he didn't matter at all. "You need to learn how to control yourself. And where is Apollyon? That fool lost you…"

"Hey! Don't bring him into this!" Shuichi shouted. He didn't want Apollyon to get penalized because of him. "It was my fault and mine alone."

"Actually, you're wrong. Everything that you do now is a reflection of things to come. Dormant power lies deep within you, waiting to burst free at the right moment, dormant power that we High Angels decided you were ready to use. Unfortunately, you've proved us wrong by giving into despair and chaos." Raphael let out a sigh. "We can't take back what we've done. We've made a grave mistake, giving a troubled teenager enough power to destroy us all…"

"I'm allowed to make mistakes." Shuichi frowned slightly. "It's not the Apocalypse." Raphael just shook his head and kept silent.

"You have no idea how important this test is- do you?" Mary sneered haughtily at Shuichi, who scowled right back at her.

"You've given into a deadly sin, anger. You've passed the first sin, lust." Raphael rose higher in the air. "You are being judged, Shuichi. One day, you _will_ lead all five realms. You must be completely prepared for that day. Or you will suffer the fate of a Hybrid Child."

"Excuse me?" Shuichi crossed his hands over his chest. "Just what are you saying?" _These angels are really stuck-up! Acting like they're better than me…_

"When you reach Heaven in ten years, you will be judged by all the High Angels. If we decide to let you live, you will live, but under vigilant scrutiny. If not, you will be sealed away inside Shu forever." Mary said simply. Shuichi's mouth dropped open. "In my opinion, that fool should have never let you become his disciple in the first place. You're unworthy, impure, irrational, and unstable."

"Hey!" Tiril stood up and ran over to Shuichi quickly. "You're only pointing out the bad things! Shuichi fought the snake using his good powers, too!"

"Yes. But he allowed his past to swallow him up and overtake him." Raphael smiled sadly. "Shuichi, you can't live in your past or you'll never reach the future. What's done is done and you cannot change what's happened to you. You need to take those hardships and convert them to experience. Only then will you grow in maturity and power."

"Oh please. The boy is a lost cause." Mary rolled her eyes. "Raphael, let's return. We've spent enough time in this dump." Shuichi growled and his hands became fists. She let out a cold laugh. "What, are you going to go Crimson on me and slice me open? Lick up all my blood?" Shuichi froze and took a step back.

"Mary, enough!" Raphael barked out. The girl fell silent, but leered smugly at Shuichi. "I apologize, Shuichi. The negative energy in Hell is too much for Mary. It severely tainted her, turned her inside out. We really _do_ have to leave you."

"T-that's okay. But weren't you tainted?" Shuichi was slightly confused.

"I'm an Archangel, Shuichi. No matter how divine she is, she's still human." Raphael smiled, shaking his head slightly. "I must ask a favor of you."

"Sure…" Shuichi blinked. "What is it?"

"Would you take care of Tiril for me?" Raphael flew forward and patted the boy on the head. "We cannot bring him back to Heaven with us."

"As well we shouldn't. He betrayed us, filthy little…" Mary fell silent at Raphael's glare. "Fine then." She crossed her arms over her chest huffily.

Raphael hugged Tiril tightly. "Take care, Tiril. You will be safe with Shuichi." As Raphael pulled away from the surprised boy, Shuichi could see tears in the Angel's eyes. "Thank you, Shuichi. I will repay you for your kindness when you reach Heaven." The moonlight shone down intensely on them.

_I sure hope Michael doesn't choose to kill him…_ Shuichi thought in his head._ I need at least one ally up there… _Shuichi watched as a moonbeam shot down to the sand, shining powerfully all around them. Mary rose up into the moonbeam first. Raphael ascended after her, waving his blue wings at Shuichi and Tiril.

"Bye Raphael!" Tiril waved wildly, a large grin on his face. But then, a lone tear fell down his cheek. "Huh?" He blinked and touched the wetness. "Why am I crying? Jeez, that's weird."

Shuichi stared down at Tiril, who had recently become his charge. The moonbeam vanished and the two divine beings were taken up to Heaven. The desert became dark once more and Tiril jumped.

"Shuichi… I'm scared now." Tiril shivered. Shuichi knelt down and opened his arms. The tiny boy somehow found them and fell into Shuichi's warm embrace. Shuichi waited until his eyes adjusted to the dark before he stood up, holding Tiril in his arms. Lucky for him, the boy was light as a feather.

"Tiril, do you remember anything about your past as an Angel?" Shuichi asked as he began walking in a certain direction. Not that he knew where he was going. But he knew needed to get away from Ramechi's dead body. The wind blew against his back, pushing him forward instead of opposing him.

"Nope. I didn't even know my name until Raphael told me. He found me unconscious in a valley somewhere and woke me up." Tiril answered. "He asked me if I wanted to go with him to a desert and I said 'yes' because I liked him. He was always nice. Mary didn't like me; she said I was tainted."

"Wait! You've been outside the desert?" Shuichi's eyes widened.

"I sure have!" Tiril chirped sweetly.

"Do you remember how to get back to the valley?" Shuichi asked hopefully.

"Yup, yup. But not in the dark. I can't see anything." Tiril giggled. "Let's go to sleep." Shuichi frowned. "Don't worry. Raphael likes me, so I don't think any demons are going to attack us in our sleep." Tiril squirmed around in Shuichi arms and pulled a necklace out from under his shirt. It was glowing slightly. The necklace was a simple silver chain with a black brooch attached to it. The brooch had a silver cross embedded in it. The cross was giving off faint bluish purple light. "He said that brooches are easy to insert magic into. There are lots of magic brooches."

Shuichi set Tiril on the ground, who put the brooch on the ground. A huge bluish purple bubble appeared around the two of them. "Yay! A barrier!" Tiril giggled and began prancing around the bubble happily.

_Why would Raphael go through so much trouble to keep Tiril safe? Who is Tiril to Raphael? Why did he cry?_ Shuichi slowly lied down on the sand and Tiril curled up next to him like a cat. _Come to think of it, Tiril had a reaction as well._

"Shuichi? Will you sing me to sleep?" Tiril asked after a while. "It's really dark and I'm scared to close my eyes, because I'm afraid that my dreams won't be real and I'll be stuck in them forever and-" Shuichi put a hand on Tiril's head.

**"We're falling faster  
This is the last year  
Just a few more hours  
Until we are all alone  
This never happens  
Changing with fashion  
Just a few more hours  
Until we are unknown**

**I wish I could have known you better  
I should blame it on the weather  
This was over from the start  
Does it even matter?  
Our situation's getting worse**

**Sleep in, (sleep in)  
Sleep well, (sleep well)  
With this life, (this life)  
We're set to fail**

**I just wanted you to know  
I think about you every night  
When I fall asleep  
You are in my dreams  
And just like in a movie  
The one you want to see  
With a happy ending**

**This dead letter written on black paper  
It never found her eyes  
Instead of love (instead of love)  
She only saw dollar signs**

**Sleep in, (sleep in)  
Sleep well, (sleep well)  
With this life, (this life)  
We're set to fail  
I just wanted you to know  
I think about you every night  
When I fall asleep  
You are in my dreams  
And just like in a movie  
The one you want to see  
With a happy ending**

**With this life, (this life)  
We are set to fail**

**I just wanted you to know  
I think about you every night  
When I fall asleep  
I just wanted you to know  
I think about you every night  
When I fall asleep  
You are in my dreams  
And just like in a movie  
The one you want to see  
With a happy ending…"**

Shuichi pet Tiril's green locks as he sang. The boy was special in some way, he knew that much. _Was he an Archangel before he was sent down here?_ He could sense the dormant power in the innocent boy. Then Shuichi remembered the red eyes and the fangs. Actually, Tiril reminded Shuichi of himself when he was a child.

_He's all alone in this world, with no memory of his past. His life was stripped from him, his sense of normalcy is gone. He has no home to go back to, no loved ones. Even if he has loved ones, they can't do anything for him now._ Shuichi smiled sadly at the little boy, the Fallen Angel. _He'll have to learn to be strong one day… but for now, I'll take care of him. I'll be his loved one._

"G'night Shu-chan…" Tiril muttered in his sleep, making Shuichi jump a little. "Love you…" And Shuichi's heart melted once more. He held the tiny boy even closer to him.

_I'm going to take good care of you._ Shuichi was no fool. He knew that Raphael had also given Tiril to Shuichi as a chance for the half-demon to redeem himself. Tiril was his chance to show the High Angels that he could do something right, that he could be responsible.

Shuichi also had to prove something to himself. He had failed to save Michael, who had been his first charge, because he was weak and unprepared. Now he had Tiril and Shuichi was not about to let anything happen to him. Two destinies was already ruined because of him. Michael… and the Archangel he would eventually kill. Shuichi wouldn't let anyone else's blood get on his hands. Shuichi wasn't weak anymore. He would take care of himself and Tiril. And hopefully, Apollyon would find him. Just where was the Angel of Hell anyway?

* * *

**Okay, that's it for now. Next up, the chapter you've all been waiting for: Yuki appears! What's been going on up in the Demon Realm now that Shuichi is dead? What does Yuki think about Shuichi's death? With Shuichi gone, what does Ryuichi do now? And... can Yuki find Shuichi in Hell? Lol, just how badly do you _all_ miss Yuki? Review if you do! Anticipate it folks! Lol cuz it might take a while to get here, with me studying for the SAT IIs and then finals. **

**Chapter 18: Change Is Good, Right? **


	25. Chapter 18: Change is Good, Right?

**Hey everyone! Summer is here! Today I had my last final (physics- it was grueling...) so now I have more time to do what I truly love: submit chapters for you guys. Lol seriously, I need to go bathing suit shopping. And see Pirates of the Caribbean as SOON as it comes out. And get a job.**

**So anyway, this chapter contains the long-awaited Yuki. Whom we haven't seen for a couple chapters. Now, at first, I planned on giving you guys two chapters with him, but my creative brain thought otherwise. So you're going to get a major dosage of Yuki for a while. I think the minimum is six chapters, starting with this one. **

**We're back up in the Demon Realm. Time to see how our buddies have been coping without Shuichi. And just how did Crimson make the adjustment of being outside the cross constantly? Oh yeah and this chapter gets a bit... wordy at times. Lol I could stretch the truth and call the later debate "philosophical". Would Yuki make a good philosopher? Well, read and find out! ENJOY AND YAY SUMMER'S HERE! **

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**_CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:_**

**_CHANGE IS GOOD, RIGHT? _**

**_

* * *

_**

_Hi. My name is Saki Ukai. I'm six years old, almost seven and I'm a half-demon. I currently live with a half-demon named Crimson and his… lover or girlfriend or special someone called Reiko. She's half-vampire and half-phoenix, so she's kinda crazy, but I've gotten used to it. Because things have gotten a lot weirder here at Lord Shindou's place since Shuichi died yesterday._

_Crimson is being trained by the Angel of Death, Taziel, who flirts with him way too much. Reiko gets insanely jealous and is rarely seen without Crimson, even though Crimson shows no interest in Taziel at all. Therefore, I'm rarely seen without the both of them because no one else is allowed to take care of me. _

_I really miss my Mom. I heard she was there when Tatsuha told Yuki about Shu's death. I remember hearing Ryuichi say something about Tohma, but that doesn't make any sense. Why would Mom be with him instead of me? Is she allowed to see me? I do know that Tohma, Mommy, and Ryuichi had some kind of band years ago… But I shouldn't dwell on the past, because I wasn't there. _

_I've been practicing my lightning magic. I'm getting really good, too. Whenever Taziel isn't training Crimson, Crimson trains me. He's really strong and tough and seldom goes easy on me, which I like. I don't want to be treated like a kid anymore. I told Crimson that I'm going to be as strong as I can be, so I can rescue Michael from Manchu. He told me that every demon needs a certain thing to motivate them to be stronger, a sort of desire to reach that unattainable dream. He believes my motivation is genuine and therefore, acceptable. _

_Reiko's making me write all this down so I don't go crazy like her. She said that writing things down is good therapy. I don't think I need it, though. But I like Reiko, so I'll listen to her for now. Reiko said that internalizing things is bad and ends up hurting you a lot. She told me to never hide my emotions, unless it was completely necessary and never let anyone treat me like dirt._

_But I can't talk about Reiko for all this time. She is cool and everything and a lot nicer than Crimson. But there's a bigger issue: today when Yuki comes back from Hell, Tatsuha is going to have a long talk with him about Shuichi. Cuz supposedly after Yuki found out Shu was dead, he wordlessly left for Hell. I want to know if Yuki really does care for Shuichi like Reiko says she says. _

_But things might go badly, because if Tatsuha is going to be there, then his lover, (They're practically joined at the hip. It's kind of sickening, in my opinion. I think they even took a bath together last night.) Ryuichi will be there to see Yuki's reaction. Either way, Ryuichi is going to push Yuki in the wrong way. Ryuichi can't stand the way Yuki treated Shuichi right before he died. But if Yuki had known Shuichi was going to die, he wouldn't have dumped him, right? _

_So anyway, I've got to go. I plan on sneaking around underneath the table in Ryuichi's study so I can hear what they're saying. _

_

* * *

_

Saki Ukai closed her diary and snapped her pen into the special holder on the spine of the book. She wiped a few of her tears away and let out a sigh. She had been crying a lot lately. Reiko told her that this was normal.

Saki walked into her closet room, her eyes red with sadness. She didn't really feel like getting dressed, but she couldn't walk around in her nightgown all day. She walked to the left side of the tiny room, where all her shirts had been hung up and tried to decide what to wear. She knew it was kind of chilly outside, so she picked a white cashmere sweater and a red & black plaid skirt from the right side of the room. Straight ahead were all of her shoes. She picked her shiny black Mary Janes and took out her white stockings that had been stuffed inside one of the shoes.

Saki carried her outfit outside of her closet room and put all of her clothes on. She then walked over to her vanity and sat down. She picked up her favorite black brush with sparkling purple jewels and golden swirls embedded on the back and began brushing her lavender locks with ease. Taking two black pompom barrettes she added them to each side of her head. Saki put on her favorite charm bracelet her mother gave her when was only three.

Saki felt a little better and more presentable. This would be the last morning Saki would spend in her room at Lord Sakuya's manor. From now on, she would share her room with Crimson. She would get to sleep on the balcony, under the stars. Not the best bed in the world, but she did like looking up at the stars at night. Plus, Crimson was going to use some kind of magic to teleport her vanity and her closet room to his room. So at least she would have her belongings.

Saki jumped off the chair and took one last look at her room. No, it wasn't her room any longer. She was starting a new life, a life with Crimson and Reiko and Shuichi, once he got back. Saki walked out of her room, shut the door and walked down the hallway, not looking back even once.

"Saki, is that you?" Saki heard a voice call her name. She whirled around. It was just Taziel. Oddly enough, the Angel of Death wasn't all that scary, despite the creepy symbols on his face. The world was full of irony. His golden eyes searched her quickly. "Where are you going?"

"Looking for-" Saki broke off. She knew that Taziel would tell Crimson that she was going to eavesdrop on Tatsuha and Yuki. Crimson wouldn't care, but Reiko would. Unlike Crimson, Reiko had morals. "You!"

"Oh really now? So pray tell, what is it?" It was obvious that Taziel didn't believe her. Well, Saki would just have to _make_ him believe.

"Well, I'm getting sick of you trying to come in between Reiko and Crimson! You keep upsetting her!" Saki blurted out the first thing that came to her head.

"I see." Taziel crossed his arms over his chest. Saki was very happy that his scythe was not present; else she _never_ would have said that. "Are you trying to make a point here? If so, voice it."

"I think its wrong for you to try and dig some part out of Crimson that he doesn't even remember. You can't treat him like he's Naytievanol because he's Crimson. It's not right." Saki was amazed that she was actually making sense.

"I understand your assessment. But what gives you the right pass judgment on me?" Taziel asked amusedly. Saki opened her mouth, but for once, she didn't know what to say. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Shut up!" Saki stomped on the ground. "Crimson, get over here now!" She shouted as loud as she could, knowing the half-demon or Angel or whatever the heck he was could hear her. Sure enough, the being donning red appeared.

"What do you want, brat?" Crimson smacked her in the back of the head, as he usually did. "It's not time for training yet!"

"Take your stupid lover away from me!" Saki pointed at Taziel. "I can't stand him!" Taziel shook his head, knowing the half-demon had said the wrong thing. Crimson wasn't exactly a morning person.

"And you think I can?" Crimson flexed his claws dangerously. "You mean to tell me that you called me here from my room just because Taziel decided to speak to you?" Red light began forming at the edge of his sharp nails.

"Err… sorry?" Saki laughed nervously, backing away. _Crap… I'm done for. If only Reiko wasn't half-vampire, then she'd be awake by now…_ She let out a shriek and put her arms in front of her face as Crimson clawed at her, red light shooting from his claws at her face. But nothing happened.

Saki opened one eye. One silky, black wing had outstretched in front of her. Taziel was standing right in front of her! He had protected Saki from Crimson's attack. "Crimson, why don't you go back to bed? I apologize on her behalf." Taziel bowed his head slightly.

Crimson scowled, cursed to himself and disappeared. Taziel let out a huge breath and turned around. Saki was still half in shock. The angel knelt down so that he was eye-to-eye with her.

"Now then, Saki, I want you to remember one thing: honesty. Did you really think you could get away with fibbing to an angel?" Taziel put his hands on Saki's shoulders. She blushed with shame and looked away. "Fiat lux; this is the spell you seek." _The High Angels are NOT going to be happy about this… Oh well. _

"You're giving me a Type-Zero?" Saki hissed and turned her head around rapidly to make sure no one else was in the hallway. "Are you crazy?"

"Imagine that you are surrounded by light, the light is engulfing you. You are no longer visible because there is so much light around you." Taziel stood back up, completely ignoring her apprehension. "But only use it in that context. You shall use it in defense only. Is that understood?"

"Yes." Saki nodded her head, still slightly confused. Taziel smiled at her and disappeared. _Score! Now Tatsuha and Yuki won't be able to see me!_

Saki found Ryuichi's office and put her ear to the door. Nothing. She opened it and was met with darkness. She crept inside and shut the door behind her. The complete darkness unnerved her a little, but she had a job to do. She was about to use her first Type Zero. She could do it.

_I'll be better than Crimson; I'm learning my Type Zeroes earlier than he learned his. I rule!_ Saki's eyes finally adjusted to the dark and she found the best hiding place: the uncluttered desk with the computer on top of it. She scurried over and sat down Indian-style underneath it. She had a perfect view of the entire room.

"It's time." Saki scrunched her eyes shut. She imagined that she was in a pure white room that stretched farther away than the ocean or the sky; a room that was galaxies wide and just as empty. Nothing but light surrounded her. She was being overtaken by the light. It was so blinding, she pictured herself covering her eyes from the intensity. "Fiat lux."

Saki opened her eyes and blinked. She held her arm up and to her shock, she saw nothing but air. Was she imagining it? Was she really invisible now? There was only one way to check. Once Tatsuha, Yuki, and Ryuichi entered the room she would stand in front of them. If she was seen, she would make up some kind of excuse, leave the room, and try again. If not, she was home free!

Saki began drawing invisible circles on the side of the desk. _I'm bored… how long are they going to keep me waiting? Is Yuki back yet? Why not? _Saki let out a sigh and leaned her head back against the other side of the desk. _I'll only be asleep for a little while._ And so the little half-demon closed her eyes and drifted off, allowing darkness to take her for a short while…

* * *

"Aniki, I'm not lying!" Saki heard a familiar voice shout. Rubbing her eyes slowly, she looked out into Ryuichi's study and her jaw dropped. Ryuichi, Tatsuha, and Yuki were all inside the study! Ryuichi was sitting on the orange couch, with the most apathetic look on his face, and the two nearly identical brothers were facing each other in front of the couch. Tatsuha had a pleading look on his face and Yuki just seemed irritated. "You have to believe me! Shuichi is dead!" 

"I find it interesting that there are no records of his death at all. Tell me, Tatsuha, if he is dead, why did my own sister deny this?" Yuki smirked at Tatsuha. "This is all some ridiculous trick to get me to regret my earlier remarks."

"What does Mika have to do with this?" Ryuichi put his arms over his head and leaned back against the comfy couch. "What's her job again?"

"Mika is head of a gigantic department in Hell. I forgot the name… but I remember that the department documents and stores files for every being that enters Hell. So because Shuichi died, he should have a file." Tatsuha fingered his chin thoughtfully. "But Yuki checked with Mika and she said there was no file containing the name 'Shindou Shuichi'. That is odd… I wonder if Taziel would know anything about this."

"Taziel… Why would the Angel of Death converse with you, the son of the Devil?" Yuki narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You didn't tell me everything."

"Like you gave him a chance." Ryuichi rolled his eyes. "You thoughtlessly teleported back to Hell without hearing the whole story." Yuki narrowed his eyes at the demon, but bit back his retort, surprisingly enough.

_Aw jeez! I don't think I missed too much…_ Saki grinned widely, leaning forward in anticipation. Even _she_ didn't know the whole story and now she would get to hear it. She was enjoying every second of this juicy news.

"Mika told me something very interesting. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this has something to do with your ridiculous theory of the brat's death." Yuki crossed his arms over his chest. "Overnight, two beings that had been filed about two weeks ago rose up to Heaven from the Forsaken Desert. The two 'demons' turned out to be the Archangel Raphael and his Twin Flame, Mary.

"Now tell me, Tatsuha, if you suddenly know everything, then enlighten me: How and why did two heavenly beings manage to sneak down to Hell, successfully disguise themselves as demons, and then return up to Heaven, as if they were fleeing the scene of a crime?" Yuki leered at his little brother, knowing he didn't have the answer. _Mika didn't even know. Hell knows what a haughty know-it-all she is._

"Huh… scene of a crime?" Tatsuha repeated dumbly. Ryuichi's eyes narrowed considerably. _Now_ he was paying attention.

"One of our high ranking demons, Ramechi, was found slaughtered in the desert, not too far away from where Raphael and Mary ascended. In addition to that, for the first time in millennia, the Angel of Hell, Apollyon was released from his post… and was promptly kidnapped by a gang of octopus demons. The dormant Fallen Angel, Tiril, was awakened approximately two weeks ago and is now missing.

"All of these things add up somehow. You mean to tell me that the idiot has something to do with all this? He's the reason why Hell is undergoing a revolution? Why Angels are now freely roaming in my Father's territory?" Yuki scowled at Ryuichi. "What the _hell_ is going on?" And so, Ryuichi and Tatsuha proceeded to tell the annoyed demon just _what_ was going on.

* * *

_Wow… Shuichi is really cool._ Saki nodded her head excitedly. It certainly seemed like Shuichi was making an impression on the folks… Down There. _As well he should be; he'll need all the help he can get if he plans on starting a war. And I'll help him, too! I'll be right there beside him! After I rescue Michael, of course. _

Yuki had stayed silent the entire time. Now Tatsuha was just staring at his older brother, waiting for him to respond. _He really is… dead._ Yuki ran his fingers through his golden locks. _Shit. What am I going to do?_

"Aniki?" Tatsuha cocked his head to one side. "Are you okay?"

"Tats. Let's go." Ryuichi stood up, stretching like a cat. "Whether he's dumbfounded or not, he knows now. That was why you came here, right? So let's go." _Leave the bastard to his misery. But what he said did worry me. According to Taziel, Apollyon was supposed to be watching Shuichi. If he's been kidnapped, then who's looking after Shu now? _

"I can't just leave him here!" Tatsuha argued, shaking his head. "If I just found out that you died-" _He probably feels awful right now…_

"There's a difference." Ryuichi cut in coldly. "Tatsuha, despite physical appearance, you are _not_ your brother."

"Excuse me?" Yuki raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Ryuichi's insult. "Care to elaborate?" _He still can't take the fact that the idiot found another cold-hearted jerk to latch onto… you sure chose them wisely, don't you?_ His eyes saddened slightly, but no one caught it.

Ryuichi growled, knowing that Yuki was taunting him. "You practically broke his heart before he died. You said that you didn't want anything more to do with him! His last memory was being condemned by none other than your Tohma!" The demon bit his lip to try to control his anger. It didn't work.

"_My_ Tohma? Isn't he _your_ best friend? And in fact, didn't you just send an order to my Father, permitting Noriko to stay with him?" Yuki let out a laugh. Saki's mouth dropped open. "I could care less about him, but it appears that you have forgiven him much faster than I have. Considering you gave him what he's been lacking for about a century."

_What?_ Saki let out a gasp. _My Mom likes Tohma? It can't be. But he's bad! And scary! And he was really mean to Shuichi. How could… how could Ryuichi do such a thing? My Mom is not a gift! She's a person! Why would he do that?_ Saki was denying the fact that her mother actually liked Tohma. She was so distraught that she didn't even notice Ryuichi looking around for the source of the gasp.

"I believe we have a visitor." Tatsuha grinned cheekily, his eyes scanning around the room. "Wherever you are, you might as well come out?"

"This is odd… I can't sense any demonic energy." Ryuichi frowned. "No scent, no aura, no nothing." _What's going on here?_

_Wow… I'm completely invisible, even to demon senses! This is the power of a Type-Zero? Cool!_ Saki was temporarily distracted by the success of her spell.

"I heard it as well." Yuki scowled and closed his eyes. "Whoever it is, I'm not in the mood for you. Either stay quiet or leave."

"Do you have any idea how dangerous the situation has become?" Ryuichi was looking for an excuse to pounce on Yuki. "We don't know who's been eavesdropping. If word gets out that Shuichi is dead, better yet, that he's connected to the Prophecy…" Tatsuha's dark eyes widened in shock. Yuki looked calm as a cucumber. "You don't even care, do you?"

Saki inwardly giggled to herself. _Ryuichi's all worried. Serves him right for giving my Mommy to Tohma. I hope he stays up all night being worried!_ She crossed her arms over her flat chest and stuck her tongue out in the demon's direction.

"Well, what do you suppose we do?" Yuki sneered sarcastically.

"Aniki…" Tatsuha said warningly, silently sighing. "The two of you fight like babies! Whatever's wrong between you guys- get over it! We have more important things to worry about!"

"Correction. _You_ have more important things to worry about." Yuki said nonchalantly. "I meant it when I said I wanted nothing more to do with the brat, especially now that he's involved with all this."

"I trusted you with him!" Ryuichi snarled, the tips of his fingers spouting tiny red flames. "I actually believed you could make him happy. And what do you do the first chance you get? You toss him away like he's some obsolete toy!"

"Aniki… it's not because of what Tohma said, is it?" Tatsuha's eyes saddened. "Do you think that Shuichi is too dirty for you, because of his past?" Yuki frowned in confusion, but then realization struck his golden orbs.

Saki's eyes widened. _It better not be! Shuichi deserves more than that!_ She sniffed pompously. _That Yuki needs to learn how to treat others nicely._

"It's not because of that." Yuki stared his brother down, hoping that he could see the sincerity in his eyes. Tatsuha's small smile was all the answer he needed. Saki noticed this implicit look between them. The telepathic bond between them almost made Saki wish she had a sibling of her own.

"Then why?" Ryuichi spat out; partially relieved that Yuki didn't revolt Shuichi because of his past.

"He's a brat. He's too immature and clingy, not to mention needy." Yuki said straightforwardly. "I feel like I'm babysitting when I'm around him." Ryuichi formed a blazing red fireball and shot it at Yuki's head. Yuki jumped in the air to avoid it and the fireball crashed into the desk behind him, completely exploding it.

"Aaaaaah!" Saki screamed and ran out from underneath the fire. _Oops… I shouldn't have done that... Now they'll find me for sure._ Saki stood bravely, completely obscured, but ready to face her punishment once found.

Tatsuha let out a laugh. "Good job, Ryu. You found Saki-chan!" He began looking all around playfully. "Where are you, Saki? We know you're here now! Come out; come out, wherever you are!"

"Err… I don't know how…" Saki spoke out sheepishly.

"Don't know how to what?" Tatsuha looked at where Saki's voice was coming from, but all he could see was air. "What's wrong?"

"Erm… I'm invisible, but I don't know how to undo it." Saki blinked. _That's right… Taziel never gave me a spell to make myself visible. What if I'm invisible forever? What if no one can ever see me again? What will I do?_

"This is ludicrous." Yuki snorted and exited the room, via the door. Tatsuha's mouth dropped open. Ryuichi glared at the door, but did nothing.

"Aniki!" Tatsuha ran over to the open door and stuck his head out into the hallway. He could see his brother calmly strolling down the corridor. "We're not done talking about Shuichi! And you still have to make up with Ryu! Come back!" But his cries were ignored. What a surprise.

Tatsuha let out a long sigh and walked back over to Ryuichi. "Okay… what do we do now?" Tatsuha crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, Saki, how did you become invisible?"

"Uh… you're not going to like this…" Saki pushed her two index fingers together nervously. "Promise you won't yell, Ryuichi?" Ryuichi raised an eyebrow in response. "Oh whatever! I don't care anymore! I just want to be seen again! Taziel gave me a-" Saki broke off as she felt her unnoticeable body being lifted up somewhere. "Aaaaaah! Help me! I'm being taken!"

"Saki? Saki!" Tatsuha ran forward, looking around rapidly. Saki writhed and screamed in fear, but then she heard a voice in her head:

"Saki, it's just me." It was Taziel. Saki immediately stopped screaming and allowed Taziel to teleport her. She closed her eyes and felt that nonexistent pull of being taken from one place and being put in another.

When Saki opened her eyes, she was right outside her old room. Both Yuki and Taziel were standing in front of her. Furthermore, she was completely visible. "I can see me again! Yay!" Saki hooted and did a little dance.

"Saki, can you be a good girl and be quiet while we talk?" Taziel asked Saki kindly. Yuki looked as though he wanted to roll his eyes at Saki, but restrained himself. "Yuki and I are going to talk about the situation in Hell you overhead earlier. It seemed like we Angels have overstepped our boundaries."

"Do I get to stay?" The half-demon cocked her head to one side. At Taziel's nod, she sat down, using the wall for support and obediently stared up at the demon and the angel. She could tell that Yuki was pissed off.

"Ramechi was made a casualty because of your 'test'. Two of your holy beings infiltrated Hell without permission from my Father." Yuki narrowed his eyes at Taziel. "How long do you think you can use our territory for your own needs?"

"It is necessary to regulate what the One does because it will determine how we will deal with him once he reaches Heaven." Taziel replied carelessly.

"And did we get a chance to evaluate him before he was sent to Hell? No one told us of the boy's connection to the Prophecy." Yuki snarled. "You snotty Angels keep all the information to yourselves. You want the rest of us to remain ignorant. Why do you all try so hard to keep the rest of us in the darkness?"

"You are demons. You are meant to reside in darkness; do not complain of your fate." Taziel sounded as if he was getting annoyed. Saki didn't know what the heck was going on. But she was smart enough to know that the debate between them concerned more than Shuichi. It was a profound and more refined argument.

"And what of Ramechi's fate- was his life that meaningless to you 'higher beings'? You Angels are all filthy, stuck-up hypocrites! You entice all others with your beauty, hiding your true vile intentions." Yuki's hands became fists. His entire life, his Father had warned him about Angels. For once, Yuki agreed with him.

"Ramechi was a martyr. He has become the example of what will happen if Shuichi allows his past control him." Taziel ran his fingers through his black hair.

"Huh? Does that mean that Shuichi killed Ramechi?" Saki burst out, unable to hold back any longer. Yuki's golden eyes found her emerald ones.

"Saki, I asked you to be quiet." Taziel gave Saki a warning glance and the half-demon pouted, but fell back against the wall.

"Shuichi will be assessed by his responses to the seven deadly sins. So far, he has had two tests: Lust and Anger. He passed the first, but failed the second. Because he failed the second, Ramechi died." Taziel let out a sigh. "I am sorry that you lost Ramechi, but there is nothing I can do." Yuki glared coldly at Taziel. "But there is still the matter of Apollyon that we must speak of."

"I see. You wish for me to help you with Apollyon, yet you will not bring Ramechi back to life?" Yuki snorted sarcastically. "You're more of a hypocrite than I thought. Divine beings… you're anything but." Taziel's eyes grew angry at this and his scythe appeared in his hands. "Oh? Do you wish to kill the firstborn of Akuma? Be prepared to face the wrath of Hell."

"Stop this!" Saki stood up angrily, jumping in between Yuki and Taziel. "Why can't you help each other out? If Apollyon isn't with Shuichi, he might be in danger now! And if Ramechi didn't deserve to die, why can't you bring him back?"

"Do not speak of things you do not understand." Taziel pointed his scythe in her direction. "If you cannot follow orders, then leave here now." Yuki looked curiously at Saki to see her reaction. What was the little one up to?

"I refuse!" Saki stomped on the ground. She could feel her anger soaring through her. "Crimson! Crimson, I need you!" The blood-red being immediately teleported into the vicinity. He glanced offhandedly from Saki, to Taziel, to Yuki.

"What's up now?" Crimson rolled his eyes and flexed his claws concurrently. "Why do you keep calling me today?" _I'm never going to get any sleep…_

"Make Taziel bring Ramechi back! Then Yuki can make the octopuses give Apollyon back and Shuichi can be safe! Taziel doesn't think Ramechi is important!" Saki pointed accusingly at Taziel. "He's a hypocrite! That's bad, right?"

Crimson took one look at Saki and burst out laughing. He held his stomach and bent over, laughing uncontrollably. "Saki, did anyone ever tell you that you have a strong sense of justice?" Crimson ceased laughing and stretched his arms.

"No…" Saki cocked her head to one side. _What's he getting at?_ Yuki turned his penetrating gaze to Crimson, who decided to become serious.

"Oh. Well, I'm not about to tell you that." Crimson shrugged and turned to Taziel. "So. You won't help Shuichi because of some racial differences. Please don't tell me you're this ignorant. I'd be ashamed to be training by a bigot." Taziel's eyes widened in shock and hurt. Crimson grinned, knowing he hit the Angel hard.

"Why? Why should I help a demon?" Taziel mumbled, his eyes doleful.

"Ramechi was a pacifist. He hated fighting and instead used his power to help balance of the Forsaken Desert." Yuki frowned at Taziel.

"You Angels just picked a strong demon and assumed that he was bloodthirsty, like me." Crimson brushed some of his long hair off his shoulders. "When in reality, he was a peacekeeping demon, very rare in his kind. So tell me, what else did you do to him?"

"Ramechi… was possessed. He was forced to do act of violence against Shuichi and his childlike 'companions'." Taziel looked down at the ground shamefully. "Crimson, I can bring him back if that is what you wish."

"Why is everything always about what _I_ want?" Crimson gave Taziel a weird look. "Can't you decide to do the right thing on your own? I _can't_ believe I'm saying this… But where's your sense of morality? Aren't you an Angel?"

"You assume that all Angels are moral." Taziel's eyes filled with tears. "We are no more perfect than you are. We are just better at hiding our mistakes. We are deceived by the light; we believe that we can do no wrong. While in the end, this very light has contributed to our downfall."

"Taziel…" Saki could feel the sadness pouring out of the Angel of Death. "Shuichi is the One. He'll take care of all that. So don't you worry." Taziel looked up at Saki in shock, as did Crimson and Yuki. "He'll make the Realms better."

"Sense of justice." Yuki repeated, studying the girl carefully. "How is it that a child not conceived of love seems to hold so much inside her?" Saki blushed slightly, but she knew it was true. Everyone knew that her parents didn't care for each other, not one bit.

"Her blood contains much wisdom, from both of her parents." Taziel replied softly. "Before Tetsuya fell into darkness, he greatly advocated the Prophecy. I believe that his dream lives on in Saki."

"As if that old geezer had any dreams." Crimson snorted and turned to Saki. "Can I leave now, Your Highness? You got what you wanted." Saki stuck her tongue out at Crimson. "Training begins in five hours. Jeez, it's still morning… I'm gonna go back to sleep. And leave me alone!" And with that, Crimson vanished.

Yuki, Saki, and Taziel stayed silent for a while after Crimson left them. Finally, Taziel decided to break the silence. "I will bring Ramechi back to life when Apollyon is out of harm's way." The Angel of Death turned to Yuki.

"Fair enough." Yuki looked down at Saki. "This is what you wanted, isn't it?" The girl grinned widely and nodded her head. "I will propose a trade… instead of keeping the Angel of Hell, they can have the Fallen Angel Tiril."

"But no one knows his whereabouts." Taziel frowned. "How can you be sure they'll agree?" _Naophiel… does Tiril really mean nothing to you, that you could sacrifice him so easily? And now look… he will be given to these demons for all eternity… Was it really worth it? Did you hate your own son that much? You gave Tiril away because of your husband, to keep all his attention. I suppose this is why Envy is one of the Seven Deadly Sins._

"They found Apollyon, didn't they? What's to keep them from finding another Angel?" Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Unless there's something about Tiril you're keeping from me."

"I apologize, but I am forbidden to disclose than information." Taziel let out a sigh. "The High Angels would kill me."

"Understandable." Yuki said simply. "The group that has Apollyon calls itself the 'Octo-Dynasty', a predictable, but notorious name. The OD consists of eighty-eight demons: eighty soldiers, seven lieutenants, and their leader, Sasayaku. Their fortress is hidden under a lake mirage that moves about the desert constantly.

"The fortress is a huge, underground cavern. There are many little pathways, but they all lead to the center of the cave. There is a giant, concealed hole at the top of the cave. After defeating Sasayaku, the hole will uncover itself and allow you to pass up and return to the desert." Yuki finished and looked at Saki, who looked very lost.

"Don't worry about it, Saki." Taziel grinned, sensing the confusion of the young girl. "We'll be sending an Archangel down to rescue Apollyon, preferably, one with restoration abilities."

"Once your Angel defeats Sasayaku, make sure to let me know." Yuki frowned slightly. "After Ramechi is revived, I will tell Sasayaku that Tiril is loose. His demons will move out and capture the Fallen Angel. End of story."

"Is it okay to sacrifice one Angel for another?" Saki cocked her head to one side. She couldn't help but feel a bit bad for Tiril. "What will happen to him?"

"He will suffer a fate less serious than Apollyon is right now." Yuki shrugged. "To those simpletons, a Fallen Angel is as good as any demon." Saki realized that because Fallen Angels were in theory evil, demons liked them more than regular Angels.

"Once Apollyon is free, he should be able to find Shuichi instantly, wherever the boy is." Taziel nodded his head. "Pleasure doing business with you, Yuki." The demon smirked at him in reply and ran his fingers through his blonde hair. "I need to contact some beings, for our plans have changed."

"As do I." Yuki let out a sigh. "I need Mika to do the paperwork for your Archangel. We need to keep this agreement as discreet as possible. Tell no one who does not need to know." Saki kept looking back and forth from Yuki to Taziel.

"I agree. It would cause great controversy." Taziel smiled sadly, shaking his head. "But we're doing this for the greater good. Shuichi's safety is in our hands." Taziel winked at Saki and disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

Yuki held out his hand and a cell phone appeared in it. He flipped it open and pressed a number. "Mika? I need a favor. I need you to make up a special file for me. It's for an… No, I don't want Sakano to do it. That anxiety-ridden freak messes everything up. I'm asking _you_ the favor, not him. Why?" Yuki let out a cold laugh. "Don't worry about it." He paused for a moment, listening to his sister. His eyes widened and he nodded slowly. "I see… hope he doesn't cause too much of a ruckus… Is that it? Okay." He hung up the phone.

"You didn't tell her it was for an Archangel." Saki frowned accusingly at Yuki. "Why not?" Saki noticed that Yuki had a slightly worried look on his face.

"We have more things to worry about. My sister is the least of our worries." Yuki glared at his cell phone. "Ramechi's older brother, Horobosu, is on a rampage. He's out looking for blood and his brother's killer. Unlike Ramechi, Horobosu is an aggressor, a violent, vile aggressor."

"He wants to avenge Ramechi…" Saki frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

"Did you forget that Shuichi killed Ramechi?" Yuki narrowed his eyes. "The sooner Apollyon is freed, the better. Shuichi can't fight Horobosu by himself." Saki's eyes widened in shock. "I need to speak with Father about this."

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**Yeah, this one is done. Lol every time I go back and edit, I get the feeling that my chapter is bad. I keep on second guessing myself. But then you guys tell me how much you love it, so that makes me feel good. Yay Review Please!**

**Chapter 19: "The Mind is its own place, and it itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven". Lol I think that's the longest name I've ever had for a chapter. But as the title suggests, the main theme will be the mind. And things get a lot weirder, mind you. So hold on tight and wait! Cuz I will work on it starting Monday! Lol my weekend is busy.**

**Oooh and one more thing. Do you guys want a Father's Day Special? Make sure and tell me if you do. No offense to fathers, but I'm kinda busy this weekend. But if you guys crave a chapter about fatherly bonding, make a request. **

**Lol I'll even let you guys pick a father/child theme:** Lord Sakuya/Shuichi, King Sakuma/Ryuichi, K/Michael, Lord Tetsuya/Saki, Lord Lucifer/Yuki, Mika & Tatsuha or Unknown to Readers/Tiril. **If I left one out that you want, just let me know. Lol I have a bad memory. **

**So the pair with the most votes wins. And don't wait too long to vote lol, I need time to write it. (Sorry Manchu wasn't included- but he was in Mother's Day. And Tohma was Valentine's Day.)**

**And with that, I leave you good people! Lol I can't stop smiling b/c school's over.**


	26. Father's Day Special

**Lol so with two votes, Lord Lucifer and his kiddies win. Now keep in mind, this was all written at night. It was also written in a cursory manner, so it's not very good. But bear with me, I was in Chinatown for most of the day. Plus I'm kinda tired and hot. It's worth reading, at least I think so. **

**Oh yeah and I did something a while ago that's different from the anime: So we all know that Eiri is Yuki's "real" name in the anime, but in my fic it's Tohma's special nickname for him. So in my fic Yuki's name was always Yuki. Just thought I'd call that to everyone's attention, because my buddy mentioned that to me. **

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**_FATHER'S DAY SPECIAL:_**

**_THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE _**

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It was a normal day in Lord Lucifer's castle. The King of Hell himself was off regulating things, signing papers, the works. His eldest son, Yuki, was to remain with him for the whole day, of course, in order to see how he was to reign over Hell one day. His wife, the beautiful Persephone, was taking care of little Tatsuha in the gardens outside the castle. Mika, who had been awfully moody lately, had refused to leave her room for some time now.

Lord Lucifer stalked down the corridor. The sound of his black boots smacking against the cold, stone floor echoed about the cold, stone walls. There were dimly lit, golden lamps embedded in the walls, about ten feet apart from each other. His long, black hair swirled about him as he walked, as did his elegant black and silver coat that reached his ankles. His amber eyes were cold enough to cut through steel and they showed kindness for one being only: Persephone.

Yuki trailed behind him quickly, trying to take in and memorize everything his father did. His short, blonde bangs kept smacking against his forehead. He was kind of tired of walking around so much, but he would never complain. He could only hope that they would pass the gardens and that his Mother would save him. His Mother always protested against his Father's workaholic personality.

Lord Lucifer's right-hand demon (Sakano) was practically chasing after them. Yuki always wondered how the demon never died of an anxiety attack. Mika found him unbearable and Tatsuha always made fun of the worrywart behind his back, unless Persephone was around. The blue-haired, jittery demon was reading off things his ruler had to accomplish for the day:

"The Octo-Dynasty-that new rebel group that just arose- they're causing all sorts of trouble. The ghosts are really getting tired of their antics." Sakano babbled worriedly, adjusting his glasses as he always did. "I think that we should send some of our demons to restrain them."

Lord Lucifer stopped walking and turned to Yuki. "Son, remember this: crush the rebels only if they rebel against you." He whirled back around and continued walking. "The ghosts do not concern me. If they wish to start a war over an insignificant minority, so be it."

"B-b-but Akuma…." Sakano let out a long sigh and rubbed his temples. Yuki felt a bit bad for the demon. Everyone knew how stubborn his Father was. "What should I do then? They've vandalized the-"

"Figure it out, Sakano. You're dismissed." Lord Lucifer cut in coldly. Sakano fell over dramatically and burst into tears, as he often did. Yuki gave the fallen demon a small, apologetic smile, then hurried on to catch up with his father (who hadn't even bothered to turn and see if Sakano was okay).

Father and son continued down the seemingly endless hallway in silence. _I wish we could take a break._ _Day in, day out, all I do is follow him around._ Yuki rolled his eyes. _I wish Mom was here. _

Persephone herself teleported right in front of them, as if she had heard Yuki's call. She held a tiny Tatsuha by the hand. He was sucking innocently on a lollipop, staring up at his "Aniki" and his "Tousan". His messy, black hair needed to be combed and he had numerous scratches on his elbows, knees, and cheeks from aggravating the tree nymphs in the gardens repeatedly. But despite that, he was a very happy child who was smothered with love.

Persephone was known as "the Jewel of Hell". Indeed, she was strikingly gorgeous, with long, wavy hair that was like a mixture of bright, corn yellow and sweet caramel. Her obsidian eyes, under her perfectly arched eyebrows, held anything but darkness; they glittered like black diamonds. She was tall, with the comforting arms of a mother and long, sinuous legs. Her smile was always genuine and contagious as well.

Her flowing dress was beautiful, of course, but no where near in comparison to its owner. The gown was a yellow gold and the satin of the gown shown in the light accentuated Persephone's dazzling hair adorned with a beautiful white lily. It hugged bosom in all the right areas and then wrapped around her slim waist. All in all, Persephone looked like the goddess she was in all her golden glory.

Being the wife of the devil did have its privileges. For starters, she was allowed to refer to her husband by his first name (Mareo), something no one else was permitted to do. She was also allowed to challenge him. But no one was allowed to challenge her. She had just as much authority and respect as her husband, perhaps even more because of her tender personality.

"Mareo!" Persephone grinned excitedly. "Guess what! I was watching over affairs in the Human Realm and a woman in Washington proposed the idea of celebrating a… 'Father's Day'. I tell you, I despise a lot of things about humans, but I _do_ love their holidays! I think we should celebrate it."

Lord Lucifer's golden eyes narrowed impatiently. "I have no time for such things, Persephone. You know this." He inwardly sighed, already imagining the workload he was going to have tomorrow just by talking to his wife.

"Work, work, work! You didn't take off for Christmas, Thanksgiving or even Halloween." Persephone pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "This would be a good day to spend some time with your children, something that you _never_ do."

Yuki smirked at his Father's back. _He might as well give up now._ The demon shook his head and turned to his little brother, who was still clutching onto their Mother's hand. He slurped on his candy and yanked it out of his mouth.

"Please Tousan?" Tatsuha made his trademark puppy face at his father. Lord Lucifer groaned out loud; Tatsuha was just too cute to resist sometimes. "I wanna… spend time with you." He then stuck the lollipop back in his mouth.

"I want to also, Tatsuha, but I'm terribly-" Lord Lucifer broke off as Persephone glared daggers at him, actually making him cringe. He knew how much trouble he would be in if he refused. "…happy that I can spend time with you." He finished quickly, turning his wife's deadly glare into a stunning smile. _My wife is bipolar…_

"Oh that's lovely, Mareo! I've already informed your subordinates and written a formal statement for Sakano to announce later on." Persephone said happily, ignoring the look of shock on her husband's face. "I've given every male demon under your jurisdiction the day off, too."

"It seems you've had all this planned." Lord Lucifer's left eye twitched. Only Persephone could make that happen. "Anything else you wish to inform me of, _dearest_?" Yuki and Tatsuha couldn't hold it anymore and they burst out laughing.

"Oh… don't worry about it, Mareo." Persephone grinned even wider. "I've taken care of everything, except-"

"I'll bet." Lord Lucifer muttered to himself darkly. His wife was scary sometimes. She seemed to get more work done in a day than he did in a year. And yet, she was so carefree.

"Like I was saying, except get your daughter out of her room. Actually, I haven't even attempted to yet." Mika was a touchy subject in the Uesugi household. She had become depressed, moody, and withdrawn. It had hurt Persephone the most, because Mika wouldn't even tell her what was wrong. "I'm leaving that to you. I… I think if you talked to her, she'd open up to you."

"I will." Lord Lucifer put a hand on Persephone's shoulder. "Leave the boys here. Go… er… give Sakano that statement."

"Thanks, Mareo." Persephone gave her husband a quick kiss on the cheek and let go of Tatsuha's hand. "Tatsu, Mommy's going to calm Sakano down, wherever he is."

"I can hear him crying downstairs." Tatsuha said, his voice partially muffled by the lollipop in it. Persephone ruffled her son's hair lovingly and then teleported, leaving the three males alone.

Lord Lucifer raised his eyes to the ceiling. "So… what do you wish to do?" _Give me guidance… what would Persephone want to do with them?_ Lord Lucifer searched his mind for answers. He never really spent time with any of his children, besides Yuki, and that barely counted because it was all business-related anyway.

"Let's get Neechan." Tatsuha suggested cutely. "I bet you spaghetti that she's still in her room, Aniki!"

"I don't want your leftover noodles!" Yuki shouted at his younger brother. "Stupid brat…" Lord Lucifer raised an eyebrow at the blonde, but said nothing. Child-raising was not under his jurisdiction. So he grabbed onto each child's arm and pictured his daughter's room. He then teleported them all.

Lord Lucifer opened his eyes. He was standing outside Mika's room, still holding onto his children. Indeed, the wooden door stared right back at him. But he had wanted to teleport _inside_ the room, so why didn't it work? _She must have put up a barrier… _Lord Lucifer frowned. _Just how depressed is she?_

"Mika, open up!" Lord Lucifer banged on the door loudly. Tatsuha and Yuki shared a look. Tatsuha giggled to himself, giving his Father's hand a supporting squeeze.

_It's about time. She's been withdrawn for weeks._ Yuki let go of his Father's hand, walked over to the wall, and leaned against it.

"No! Leave me alone!" Mika screamed back. Lord Lucifer grit his teeth angrily, quickly formed a black and red fireball, and blasted through the door.

"Stay here." Lord Lucifer stalked inside and snapped his fingers. The door reappeared on its hinges, completely unharmed. He walked to the middle of his daughter's room and faced her bed, which she was reclining on. "You dare to raise your voice at me?"

"Don't speak to me like you're my father; you act nothing like it!" Mika shouted back, tears storming down her cheeks. Lord Lucifer strolled over to the side of the bed, snatched her by the arm and slapped her across the face.

"Whether I act like a father or not does _not_ give you the right to disrespect me." Lord Lucifer glared at Mika coldly, until he saw the fear in her brown eyes. That was when he also saw the fatigue, self-deprecation, and sadness. He saw how pale her face was and how ratty and torn her long, brown locks were. "What ails you? And be quick to tell me; we have things to do."

"What do you mean?" Mika frowned in confusion, furrowing her brow.

"Your mother… suggested that we celebrate this 'Father's Day', another human holiday." Lord Lucifer chose his words carefully. _More like she threatened me into it._ Like he would dare disobey her. But then again, Persephone didn't really ask for much. And he did need a break, he was working himself ragged these days.

"What is it with her obsession with human holidays?" Mika rolled her eyes, a smile almost gracing her gaunt features. Her father shrugged in response, sitting down on the bed beside her. "Well… Dad, sometimes I just feel left out."

"Left out of what?" Lord Lucifer frowned.

"You take Yuki with you everywhere you go. He gets all of your attention. And Tatsuha, he gets attention from _everyone_, because he's the baby." Mika smiled sadly. "Nobody worries about me, no one cares about me. No one wants anything from me. I feel useless and unwanted."

"So you locked yourself in your room. How was that supposed to help?" Lord Lucifer said before he considered his daughter's feelings. He forgot that he was dealing with his female daughter and not a subordinate.

"I don't know!" Mika's eyes filled with tears and she turned away from him.

_Okay… Let's try this again…_ Lord Lucifer mentally stroked his chin. _WWPD… What Would Persephone Do? No… I have to do this on my own. _"Er… I suppose Sakano could use some help. He's starting a new company in a few days and he was looking for a director because he can't handle too much responsibility or pressure. I think he named it 'Kiroku'.

"The function of this new company is to record and make files for every being that enters Hell. This would make it easier for me to regulate everything that goes on here. How would you like to manage this department? We both know you're stable and more capable to head it than Sakano." Lord Lucifer turned to his daughter. Mika's brown eyes were wide with shock.

"You want _me_ to head it?" Mika pointed at herself. "Really?"

"Of course, you're mature enough." Lord Lucifer decided that the only way to boost Mika's self-confidence would be to make her so busy that she wouldn't have any time to think about it. "I'll tell Sakano tomorrow. Now then, shall we go?"

"Yes!" Mika jumped off her bed happily. "Let's go!" Lord Lucifer stood up and the two walked over to her door. She swung it open wildly and jumped out. "So, Dad, what are we going to do?"

"Anything you kids want." Lord Lucifer walked out calmly after her. Yuki was in shock and Tatsuha was just happy that his Neechan was smiling again.

"I'm hungry! I think we should go to the kitchen!" Tatsuha shouted excitedly as they began to walk down the hallway.

"You _just_ had candy." Yuki said disbelievingly. "How much can you eat?"

"Well, if you're celebrating Father's Day, the other demon lords probably should as well. You should contact King Sakuma and Lord Seguchi." Mika suggested briskly. She was already getting used to organizing things. "I say we host a banquet, just for all the fathers out there."

"I suppose. You've never met their sons, have you?" Lord Lucifer blinked. Then again… did he want his children exposed to Ryuichi's insanity? Tohma was a fine demon, responsible and trustworthy, but Ryuichi? He inwardly cringed.

"Yay! A party!" Tatsuha hopped around eagerly. Yuki rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything. "I can play with Aniki, ne Tousan?"

"Of course." Lord Lucifer stopped walking. He realized that he didn't mind spending time with his children. In fact, he actually liked it. His children were all wonderful and well-behaved. He felt as if he had been missing out on a lot by not spending time with them. He really didn't know anything about them and he now resented that. Well, that was going to change soon. He would begin to spend more time with his children. It was certainly better than spending time with documents.

"This is taking too long. We shall teleport to the kitchen and inform the servants that they must prepare feast for the… Father's Day Banquet." Lord Lucifer grabbed onto his three kids and teleported to the kitchen…

* * *

That "Father's Day" sparked a special tradition in the Uesugi household, along with the households of other demon lords. It was all thanks to Persephone; she was the glue that held them all together. It was she that pushed her husband to spend more time with her kids.

So needless to say, after Persephone died, their family fell apart. Both Lord Lucifer and Mika became engrossed in their work, Yuki stopped following his Father around, becoming more withdrawn from everyone and Tatsuha barely smiled. A huge aspect of their lives was gone forever.

Eventually, the family withdrew from each other, losing the closeness they once had. Lord Lucifer thought that life wasn't worth living. He abdicated most of his duties to Mika. He became angered quickly and threw "tantrums" often. He became unreasonable, forgetting that love even existed.

Mika successfully became head of Kiroku. She had numerous responsibilities and not enough time to execute them. She became more of a workaholic than her Father. She simply rationalized that she had no time to deal with her family. She only confided in her partner, Sakano and her husband, Tohma.

Yuki, on the other hand, did not want to be around his Father anymore. He became somewhat of a loner. He met and befriended Tohma, a subordinate of his Father's. Things went well between them until Lord Lucifer hired Kitzawa, a private tutor for Yuki. It was then that Yuki realized he was bisexual, for he had fallen for Kitzawa. Apparently, the tutor knew this and took advantage of it.

Yuki was raped by Kitzawa one night and that act shocked all of demonic society. Of course, Lord Lucifer had Kitzawa executed in the worst possible way. Tohma had tried to become even closer to Yuki after this, but he just pushed everyone away, refusing to trust again.

Tatsuha probably turned out the best. He knew that Persephone wanted everyone to be happy, so he did his best to honor her. He got into as much trouble as he could, lived his life to the fullest every single day, and eventually fell in love with the demon he met on that Father's Day, long, long ago: Ryuichi. He inherited his Mother's empathy and wisdom, often calling upon things with a certain perspective, identical to Persephone's.

* * *

Mika sat at her desk with her head in her hands. She could recall that first "Father's Day" like it was yesterday. If only her Mother was still alive; she would know what to do. But there was no point in wishing for the dead to return. Besides, she had more important things to worry about.

For one thing, her husband, Tohma was in jail. With Noriko. Who was not Mika. Who was alone in a cell with her husband. The thought of that human being with her husband make Mika want to hurl. Not that she _loved_ Tohma or anything, it was the principle behind it. The fact that Tohma had and always would love that ridiculous human and he didn't care if he embarrassed his own wife by practically proclaiming it to everyone.

"My life is in the dumps…" Mika groaned out loud.

The second biggest problem was Seki. Every since the woman had died, she had lived in _their_ castle. The woman was so much like her own Mother it was sickening. And the worst part was, Lord Lucifer was beginning to pick up on it. He was becoming more like his old self: less cold, more reasonable. He was scowling less and less. Mika hated it. She didn't want that stupid human to take her Mother's place. She would have killed Seki a long time ago, if the despicable human wasn't under the divine protection of Shu himself. Slowly but surely, Seki was making a positive impact on Lord Lucifer's life, something that no one else could do. It thoroughly disgusted the brunette.

The third problem was Seki's son, Shuichi. It had taken Mika a while to get used to… Tatsuha's "homosexual tendencies" and now Yuki had to go back to being "bi" for the stupid half-demon. Shuichi was jeopardizing Lord Lucifer's already shaky relationship with Nuri. And go figure, the half-demon's best friend was doing the same. It was probably a conspiracy between the two. Mika knew Shuichi was up to no good; she knew as soon as her brother stormed into her office and demanded to see Shuichi's file. Believe me, if the half-demon had died, Mika would have thrown a party.

So needless to say, Mika had a hate list on her. She had a feeling that Shuichi really was dead. And where would he probably go? To this very castle, to see his Mother. And when he finally arrived, she would be waiting. She would get rid of him then. Mika was strong; she had trained under a relative of Tohma's and honed her skill: plant manipulation. She would squeeze her vines around the boy's neck and watch as he slowly choked to death-

"Mika!" Sakano burst into Mika's office, like a paranoid tornado, halting her mental murder. "I've just received information that Horobosu is on a rampage! He's searching for his brother's killer! Mika, what do I do? I have to issue a statement! Oh, I don't know what to say!"

"Sakano, calm down." Mika rolled her eyes, but on the inside she was worried. She had received earlier news that Apollyon was released for the second time (the first time had been by Shu himself), had been kidnapped by the Octo-Dynasty and that Tiril had been unleashed. Now she had Horobosu to deal with.

A second being burst into Mika's office; it was the wench: Seki. "Is it true? Is my son really here?" Seki ran over to Mika and Sakano, her blue eyes wide with hope. Her long, pink hair trailed behind her like a horse's mane.

"How am I supposed to know?" Mika snapped out. "I have too many other things to worry about than your possibly dead son!" It took all her resolve not to kill the human, but what would that do?

"The revolution has begun…" Seki muttered to herself, raising her eyes to the heavens. "Shu, bring him safely to me."

"What? What are you talking about?" Mika narrowed her eyes. What made her son so "special"? He was just another dead half-breed. But then… why was Yuki willing to disobey his Father just for him? There was something going on here that she didn't know about. And Mika hated not knowing things.

"Oooh, ooh, Mika! I must issue the statement!" Sakano whined, fidgeting about anxiously. Seki held back a giggle.

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?" Mika finally lost her patience and blew up, something she hadn't done in years. Sakano burst into tears, bowed down repeatedly, and began apologizing.

"Sakano, how about I help you with that statement? I'm sure Mika has other things to worry about." Seki put an arm around Sakano's shoulders, led him out of the room, and shut the door behind them.

Mika let out another sigh. Seki really did act like Persephone. It was frightening, actually. She rubbed her temples. What was she going to do? She couldn't go to her "husband", he was in another woman's arms… She scowled angrily. Sakano was probably too traumatized to talk to her. Her Father stopped caring about everyone after Persephone died, so he was out of the picture. Tatsuha lived for only Ryuichi now; he barely had time for anyone else. And Yuki? As if he cared about his only sister.

"Somehow… I ended up alone again…" Mika smiled bitterly, tears stinging her eyes. "It seems that things haven't really changed that much at all." Why was she always alone? Did anyone care about her? No, no one did. She had no one to blame but herself. "Mother… if only you were here..."

As if sent by the divine, Seki silently opened the door and stuck her head in the doorway. "Sorry to disturb you, but I'm not really sure how to write a statement. You're more knowledgeable in that area, right?" She flashed her trademark smile and for a moment, Mika thought she was seeing double.

"Who _are_ you?" Mika scowled and stood up. But then… her phone began ringing. It was underneath all of the clutter on her desk. "I'll be right out. Just let me take this call." Seki nodded her head and pulled out, shutting the door once more. Mika began fishing around her desk and finally pulled her phone out. The name of the being calling her read "Yuki". But why would he be calling her?

* * *

Lord Lucifer sat alone in his throne. He kept the lights off, as usual. He liked being in the darkness. It was all he liked lately. He often thought back to the olden, golden days, the days when Persephone was still alive. How he missed her. He really did miss her. But then, ten years ago, Seki came to his castle. And since then, she slowly began to heal his heart.

Lord Lucifer began to miss the olden days even more as Seki told him stories of Shuichi and what he was like. He remembered Yuki's rare smile and how it lit up his entire face. How quiet the boy usually was unless he had something important to say. How he used to follow his Father without question and respect him always.

Lord Lucifer remembered Mika and how it was she who really taught him how to be a "father". How to deal with his children's problems and become more involved in their lives. How to be more sensitive to their needs and feelings. And how to deal with a woman's mood swings.

Lord Lucifer remembered Tatsuha and how happy the boy always was, that constant smile he always wore. How he brightened up everyone's world and did the most ridiculous things. How his dark eyes sparkled, how they were identical to Persephone's. How her dazzling persona lived on in him.

"Lord Lucifer!" A servant knocked on his door. "Something's happened-come quick!" The dark-haired, melancholy demon rose from his throne and walked towards his door. Lord Lucifer remembered… what it felt like to be a father. And… he missed that just as much as he missed Persephone.

* * *

**Okay, so it's done. Badly written, I know. But it was on short notice. I did all of that in one night. One long night that's almost over, because it's 11:53. Be happy, you guys! Lol I need sleep. Review if you liked it, cuz I really worked hard to finish it.**

**So anyways, next chapter we get back to Yuki. He makes an important decision and realized something about himself. Believe me, the next chapter is long and... Well "interesting" could be one word to describe it. Wait for it!**


	27. Chapter 19

**Hiii! Well, I've been trying to update for a while, but something's wrong with the site. After fruitlessly trying many times since Friday... at 4:57 on Sunday, the "submit document" button finally worked. Everyone: REJOICE! Lol I'm in a good mood b/c you guys left me such lovely reviews. I love you all! **

**Now I'm warning you. This chapter is beyond bizarre and kinda long. My creative mind is very mysterious and makes up very interesting things. I think there may be an entire universe inside my brain somewhere. Or maybe I'm the reincarnation of some... divinely inspired being. Perhaps it's all the anime I watch and junk food I eat. **

**So in this chapter, Yuki comes to terms with himself. He realizes something important and immediately goes to remedy his situation. He'll need some help along the way. He manages to reach Shuichi, but what condition is the boy in now? **

**Disclaimer: The long-dead, most likely divinely inspired being by the name of John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, owns the quote down below. **

**_

* * *

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**_CHAPTER NINETEEN: _**

"**_The Mind is its own place, and it itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." _**

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* * *

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Yuki scowled darkly, as he was accustomed to doing. The meeting with his father had not gone well. _"Why haven't you dueled Lord Nakano yet?"_ Was all Akuma would demand, not even bothering to listen to Yuki warning him about Horobosu. _"Your honor as a demon lord is at stake! **My** honor is at stake! You will duel him and marry Lady Ayaka!" _

Yuki was sitting down on an old wooden bench near a cherry blossom tree. He remembered the story Shuichi had told him about this very bench: "-Michael picked me a bouquet of flowers. And then Lady Noriko saw us, I think she recognized me because of my eyes and we ran over to a bench on top of a hill and we talked about his best friend Saki and I asked him if-" The blonde could almost see those purple eyes lighting up with excitement.

"_Yuuuki? Yuki! Yuki? YUKI!"_ Ever since Yuki had found out Shuichi was dead, all he could think about was the half-demon. About his ridiculously cute smile, his messy pink hair that almost fell into his bright eyes that held so much innocence, his big cheeks that he scrunched up when he was confused, his luscious pink lips that he pouted so often, his nose that he wrinkled whenever he smelled something good… there was so much Shuichi and… he wasn't here. Yuki… Yuki missed his idiot, everything about him.

Yuki looked down at his palms. He felt pathetic; more than pathetic. He felt incomplete. Without his pink puffball, he felt like nothing. And to make matters worse, he had finally figured out why he hadn't dueled Nakano yet:

"Those three days I spent with the brat, he told me everything he could about himself. I remembered that Nakano had been one of his best friends before he got amnesia." Yuki smiled bitterly. "I couldn't… I couldn't bring myself to hurt one of his closet friends." And that, the fact that Yuki had been so thoughtful for Shuichi's sake had begun to scare him. Was that why he had pushed the boy away?

So Yuki had no intention of fighting Nakano and not for a woman he didn't want. It made no sense. But what was he to tell his Father? And more importantly, what was Yuki going to do about his feelings? He hated to admit it, but he needed help. He had worked up the nerve to admit he cared about Shuichi, but now he couldn't even tell the half-demon.

Yuki slammed his fists onto his knees and cursed. Sure Shuichi was in Hell, but there was no record of him, no way to find him. And besides, he was being "tested" as of now. Yuki wasn't sure the Angels wanted him around the boy. But did that really matter? No, Yuki didn't want to sabotage Shuichi. He didn't want the Angels to use him as an excuse for Shuichi to fail.

"-he's been here for hours. I'm worried about him." Yuki knew that voice anywhere. It was his concerned little brother, Tatsuha, accompanied by his lover, of course. Their relationship looked so perfect to everyone else. They were inseparable and… it made Yuki sick. He hated being around them. They reminded Yuki of what he and Shuichi **_should_** have been.

Tatsuha and Ryuichi were strolling up the hill, Tatsuha looking worried and Ryuichi frustrated. Tatsuha ran ahead of his lover to reach Yuki, who hadn't moved from the bench. "Aniki, when are you going to move from this spot? Come on, you need to get up." Tatsuha pulled on Yuki's arm. "Yuki… look at me."

Yuki refused. He had to figure out a way to make things right with Shuichi. Nothing else mattered now. Nothing. "Leave him be, Tatsuha. He's too wrapped up in his own guilt to hear anything else." Ryuichi spat out, disgust apparent in his tone. "You've wasted enough time trying to get him out of his slump."

"He's my brother, Ryuichi." Tatsuha glared at Ryuichi. "Maybe you think he's hopeless, but I don't. You can't possibly understand what he's going through."

"I don't give a shit." Ryuichi turned around. "You can stay here if you want." He proceeded to walk down the hill alone. Yuki's eyes widened.

_I've ruined another relationship…_ Yuki glanced from Tatsuha, who looked distraught, but wasn't moving to Ryuichi, who was stubbornly marching down. "Tatsuha, stop worrying about me. You belong with Ryuichi. You should be spending all your time with him." Ryuichi froze and turned around, eyeing Yuki carefully. "I don't need you to baby-sit me."

"I'm not going to abandon you in your time of need!" Tatsuha protested, stomping on the ground. Ryuichi's eyes darkened at this and he glowered at the two.

"So I'm worth abandoning your lover?" Yuki raised an eyebrow as Tatsuha processed his words and gasped out loud. "I see. Then go."

"But I…" Tatsuha looked confused and he kept looking from his lover to his brother. He couldn't choose between them. He loved both of them. Tears fell from his dark eyes and Ryuichi moved back up the hill towards his lover, ready to comfort him. "I can't…" Tatsuha wiped his tears away and shook his head. He vanished without another word, the emotional distress becoming too much for him.

"Smooth." Ryuichi snarled sarcastically. "First Shuichi, now your brother. Do you get off on hurting people?"

"Crimson seems to do that all the time and you don't mind a bit." Yuki pointed out. "So why do you persistently single me out?"

"Crimson-" Ryuichi started hotly.

"-Knowingly uses every opportunity he has to hurt Taziel, purposely disregarding the fact that the Angel is love with him. Or perhaps, it is for that very reason that Crimson treats him that way." Yuki pondered out loud.

"I am not going to listen to you analyze Crimson's behavior!" Ryuichi growled and flames began raging around him. "It's time to do what should have been done before!"

"Let's see… you exterminate me, you'll have my Father, Shuichi, and Tatsuha to deal with. Not to mention Tohma. Now although these beings like you a great deal more than me at the moment… that will not excuse you attacking me." Yuki sneered at the angry flames Ryuichi was wielding. "… especially since I have no intention of fighting back."

Ryuichi gave him an odd look and his flames disappeared. "Why not?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "There _is_ something wrong with you."

"Any blow you deal me on the idiot's behalf is fully justified." Yuki said simply. "But instead of wallowing in self-pity as you thought I was doing, I was actually thinking of a way to contact him. That is where you come in."

"You need my help." Ryuichi repeated disbelievingly.

"My Father taught you every Type Zero he knew, right?" Yuki waited until the demon nodded, then continued. "I'm sure there is some spell you can use to put me in contact with him… in any way possible."

Ryuichi's eyes widened and then narrowed in concentration. "You need to be more specific. There are many spells used for communication." He answered slowly.

"Well, I can't reach him physically because no one knows where in Hell he is. Speaking to him mentally might be a bit traumatic and risky." Yuki said pensively. "I was thinking about contacting him in a dream."

"A dream?" Ryuichi frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "That is a very difficult barrier to break. Dreams are very ambiguous, significant, mystical entities. Most aren't even sure of their purpose. Putting you into Shuichi's dream, when you weren't previously there, could put a strain on his sub-consciousness. In fact, it could shock him so much that he could wake up, trapping you forever in his mind. Are you willing to take that risk?"

Yuki was not about to back down. "He needs to know." The demon said simply. "I'm ready when you are."

"One more thing. There's one stipulation and without meeting it, the spell won't work." Ryuichi stared at Yuki intensely. "You don't have to answer this out loud, but if the answer is no, you had better reconsider. Do you love Shuichi?"

Yuki was _not_ expecting that question. Furthermore, he didn't want to think about it. Or admit it. Of course he wasn't going to admit it; there was nothing to admit to. He was just going to find the boy and apologize to him…

But why was he apologizing? Yuki didn't apologize to Tohma for turning his back on him in court. So why was Yuki going to apologize to the boy for that very same reason? What made the idiot different from Tohma? Why not Tohma, who had been fiercely loyal to Yuki for years? Who had loved him unconditionally for years? Who had guided him through all the unstable times in his life?

It was time for Yuki to stop asking himself questions. He already knew the answer. "I do." Yuki said, an ardent look in his amber eyes.

"Very well." Ryuichi was amazed. He could sense no lie in Yuki's words. He began to mentally prepare himself for the spell he was about to use.

"Know now, that you will be doing most of the work. I am only providing the means for you to reach Shuichi, you must do the rest." Ryuichi held his palms up in the air and a red and blue ball formed there. It began pulsing with raw energy, moving about uncontrollably. "Omnia vincit amor." The ball shot up into the sky and exploded, sending rays of purple light everywhere.

Yuki didn't close his eyes, like a normal demon would have done. He faced the blinding light, clenched his fists until they practically bled and said out loud: "Break down the barriers between fantasy and reality. Allow me to reach him through dreams." Yuki could feel the light swirling around him, cocooning him. All he could see was purple. It was bringing him somewhere. He closed his eyes, giving the light complete dominion over him. It would bring him to Shuichi.

_He made that up on the spot._ Ryuichi was impressed. _He should be a writer._ Ryuichi knew somehow, he just knew that Yuki would find Shuichi. "Love conquers all things." The demon translated the spell and smiled ambiguously. He turned and began to walk down the hill. "Wouldn't Shuichi love to know by what means Yuki reached him?" The demon smirked to himself as he sauntered away.

* * *

Yuki knew that he was lying a cold, hard floor even before he opened his eyes. The stark chill of the area he was in hit him like a snowball to the face. Not that anyone would dare do that, but if they had the audacity to, well… Yuki shook his head and slowly sat up. His body felt weary, his energy felt drained and his mind was screaming at him to go to sleep. But his heart was pleading with him to stay and do what he was meant to do. His heart wanted him to remember.

_What am I doing here?_ Yuki could hear voices coming from somewhere. _Why am I here? _He looked around, but he was practically surrounded by darkness. So there wasn't much to see. But wait… he could see something ahead. It was a tiny ray of light coming from ahead of him. Like a little sliver peeking out from underneath a closed door. It gave him hope. Maybe that was where he was supposed to be.

Yuki stood up and quickly strolled over to the little ray. He found himself in front of a dark drape that hung from darkness and moved it aside. He stepped into what seemed to be a nightclub of some sort. He took in all the peculiar sights:

The "nightclub" was decorated with reddish brown, circular tables, placed about the room. They all had identical, small, lit candles in the middle, giving the room a sophisticated and serene aura. For some reason, there were plenty of tables, but no chairs. And apparently, no walls, either. Beyond the tables was only darkness. It was as if Yuki was in a realm that consisted only of these tables…

But then Yuki looked farther ahead and saw the true reason for the nightclub: the platform. There was a medium-sized, wooden platform with three chairs right in the middle. They were all filled, but Yuki was too far away to see who they were. A giant, pink… _thing_ was pacing the stage, walking around the three chairs and the beings that occupied them. A huge, burgundy drape bordered the whole platform and a diamond chandelier lit up the stage from above.

Yuki took a step towards the platform, and was promptly tackled by something from behind. His head banged against a nearby table and he cursed. A flash of green hair passed him, which belonged to a running boy. The boy dashed up to the stage and jumped up on top of it.

_Stupid brat…_ Yuki mentally growled, taking his time regaining his balance. He was so tired, but he couldn't understand why. Heck, he didn't even know what he was doing… in this place. But people were up ahead, people who knew what this place was. So Yuki began walking forward.

As he passed tables, they began to fill themselves… literally. Beings sitting on chairs appeared out of nowhere, talking attentively to one another. The second Yuki passed an empty table it became filled with lovers, friends, or family members. Plates filled with delicious food and glasses filled with alcoholic drinks showed up as well. The nightclub was slowly becoming filled, as he neared the platform.

"Are you all ready for some entertainment?" Yuki saw the boy with green hair jumping around excitedly on the stage. The huge pink thing plopped down onto the stage, behind the three filled chairs, and promptly disintegrated into nothing. Yuki was so close to the platform, he could almost see who was sitting in the chairs.

"Hey you? Do you think you're special? Go sit down!" The boy shouted impatiently at Yuki. "If everyone isn't sitting down, we can't start the show!" Random beings turned to Yuki angrily and he grew nervous.

Just then, Yuki saw it, the one table that hadn't filled up. It was right in the center of the room. It was as if he was meant to sit there. He triumphantly moved around the other tables and reached his. Like magic, an empty chair, food and drink materialized in front of him. He slowly sat down, dazed, as if in a dream.

As soon as Yuki's bottom touched the seat, his eyes widened, finally grasping his purpose. He _was_ in a dream, Shuichi's dream! He hurriedly looked around the crowded, lively nightclub for his puffball, but the boy was nowhere to be found. He scanned every table, but nothing. That was odd.

"Yay! We can begin now!" Yuki turned his head to the platform, where the little green boy was still hopping around like a rabbit. The chandelier's light intensified, becoming much brighter than all the candlelight combined. The beings around Yuki began to shush each other.

"Put your hands together for… Sakura, Ichigo, and… the one you've all been waiting for: SHINDOU SHUICHI!" The boy screamed out, jumping as high in the air as he could. The three seated beings stood up and Yuki almost passed out. They were all Shuichi; well two of them were Shuichi cross-dressing, but they were still Shuichi nonetheless.

"Sakura", the one Yuki had danced with was standing on the right, Shuichi himself was standing in the middle, and the last one "Ichigo", was standing on the left. Sakura was wearing the same outfit Yuki had first seen… er… Sakura in. He had the pink kimono with the blue flowers all over it and a dark blue sash tied around his waist. The currently stolen twin daggers were even there. His hair was in pigtails, tied back with dark blue ribbons.

The Shuichi in the middle wore the first outfit Yuki had ever seen him wearing in the Demon Realm, the long black coat with the tiny, pink shirt under it and the tight, black leather jeans. Shuichi's cross seemed to gleam proudly on his neck, although Crimson obviously wasn't present. But his twin daggers weren't with him. Yuki would come to realize that he was the only Shuichi without a weapon.

The third Shuichi, Ichigo, wore a dress robe made of salmon-colored Chiffon that purposely slipped off his shoulder, a green arm warmer on his right arm, a dark blue brooch over his left hip, and brown leather shoes with rainbow buckles.

Yuki carefully studied all three, in the most meticulous way possible. The differentially between the three alarmed him. Sakura seemed to be eerily calm and docile. His face was practically emotionless, but there was a quiet confidence about him. Sakura reminded Yuki of a robotic servant, simply put into being to obey. Sakura's empty purple eyes gazed into nothingness; he did not look at either Shuichi or anyone in the crowd.

Shuichi seemed to be like Sakura, but with more personality. This one was a whirlwind of emotions. Yuki could read confusion, fear, loneliness, gloom, and most of all, insecurity. Shuichi's eyes strayed about the room, as if he was looking for approval from somebody. His long coat seemed as though it was made solely to shield him from the rest of the world.

Ichigo, however, was the one that alarmed Yuki the worst. This was a new side of Shuichi that Yuki had never seen. Ichigo's clothing was stained with blood; his long, sharp nails and equally lethal, gleaming fangs told their gory story. Ichigo, unlike Shuichi, was utterly arrogant and condescending, like a walking superiority complex. Ichigo's eyes burned with uncontrolled hatred and rage. But yet, there seemed to be uncertain sadness hidden somewhere deep inside Ichigo.

"Okay… Sakura, would you like to tell us something about yourself?" The green boy wildly gestured to Sakura with his arms. "By the way, I'm your host Tiril- nice to meet you all!" At this, the beings around Yuki began to cheer. Yuki's eyes widened in shock. _Why is he in Shuichi's dream?_ That could not be good.

Sakura stepped forward to the edge of the stage without hesitation. "I am Sakura. I am a half-demon and former prostitute. I used to live with my mentor and boss, Ryuichi." Sakura paused for a moment. "I specialize in water techniques."

"It's a good thing you're not a prostitute anymore." Shuichi cut in kindly, stepping forward and putting a hand on Sakura's arm. "Do you remember when K brought you to the Demon Realm?" Yuki was bewildered at the bond between the two. It was as if they were actually different people. Was that even possible? Then again, dreams weren't supposed to make sense.

"Yes, I do." Sakura replied emotionlessly. Shuichi smiled and let go of Sakura. "Perhaps you should tell them about yourself, Shindou-kun?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes glared at the two. It was obvious he didn't like the interaction between Shuichi and Sakura. "Hurry up, wimp!" Ichigo growled. "It's not like you have anything important to say, so get on with it!"

"Would you rather go?" Shuichi turned his head to look at Ichigo.

"Of course not. Haven't you ever heard of 'saving the best for last'?" Ichigo replied, disgust apparent in his voice. Shuichi blinked and Yuki could tell that he was slightly annoyed. But he would never say so.

"Okay." Shuichi turned to his audience, a small smile on his face. His nervous amethyst eyes locked with Yuki's for an instant, but the demon knew that none of the Shuichis recognized him. "My name is Shindou Shuichi. I currently live in my father's manor in the Demon Realm. I've met a lot of beings lately and a lot of things have happened since I've arrived there. Sometimes… I feel that I'm worthless compared to the other demons.

"Every day, I try live up to everyone's expectations, especially my Father's but it seems that trouble and chaos hold me back. I wish I could just be left alone, because I know that no one would ever want me. I don't think I'm attractive, despite what others may say, so I can't see why anyone would ever love me.

"I'm afraid, afraid of relationships and getting close to people because my father abandoned my mother and I when I was young. Some would even say it was because of him that she died. I've been made fun of and put down all my life. I hate it. I hate my life.

"But slowly, I'm beginning to realize that suffering is a part of life. No one can avoid it. I'm trying, trying to open up to people and trying not to get hurt in the process. But it seems… it seems that people get hurt because of me or I get hurt because of them. That makes me wonder if life is worth living." Shuichi finished softly and stared down at his feet.

Those words practically ripped through Yuki's heart. He couldn't believe that Shuichi really felt that way. If anything, it increased his guilt sevenfold. Even the blank Sakura seemed to notice Shuichi's sadness and gently put a hand on top of the boy's head. Shuichi sniffled, backed away, and sat down in his chair. He put his head in his hands and refused to look at anyone. Sakura stayed standing still.

"Finally, it's my turn!" Ichigo stomped on the ground. "I'm Ichigo and I'm the strongest out of the three. I don't let anyone make fun of me or take advantage of me. I'm much better than that weepy wimp over there or that stupid doll. I don't take orders from anyone- I do what I want. Personally, I think I'm the only one who should exist, because those two are just too pathetic for words. Shuichi is useless and Sakura has no personality. I, on the other hand, make use of my abilities and I sure as heck express my emotions!"

Yuki seriously wanted to slap this Ichigo. This being pissed him off the most. But were these feelings really inside the puff ball? If so, the boy needed some serious therapy. Yuki turned his penetrating gaze onto Tiril, who was patiently floating around. Once the Fallen Angel realized that the introductions were over, the floating ceased.

"Okay then!" Tiril landed on the edge of the stage, directly in front of Sakura and Ichigo. "Sakura, how do you feel about Ichigo calling you a 'stupid doll'?" Tiril purposely ignored Shuichi, who was too consumed by his own despair to say anything.

"Ichigo's words have no significance." Sakura replied stoically.

"Excuse me?" Ichigo turned to Sakura furiously. "Are you trying to say that you ignore me? Who do you think you are?"

"Can you elaborate on this, Sakura? Why don't Ichigo's insults have any effect on you?" Tiril questioned, his bright orange eyes widening.

"I see no reason to be… affected by words. They mean nothing to me. They are not alive, they do not have feelings; therefore, they are meaningless." Sakura explained, turning to Shuichi temporarily. "This is not true for him."

"You are so weird!" Ichigo scowled, crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from Sakura completely. "What a stupid doll…" He muttered to himself, but everyone heard.

"It seems that you're expressing concern for Shuichi. Why is this?" Tiril narrowed his eyes curiously. "Do you value Shuichi over Ichigo?"

"I am concerned for Shindou-kun because without him, Ichigo and I would not exist. If he dies, Ichigo and I will cease to be." Sakura responded.

"Wait just a minute!" Ichigo cut in angrily, turning back around. "My existence does _not_ depend on some idiot like him!" He pointed at the melancholy Shuichi, who was still motionless. "Don't pull me into your stupid philosophy!"

"Then where did you come from, if not from Shindou-kun?" Sakura asked soullessly. Yuki studied the being. Despite Sakura's aloofness, he appeared to be very aware that he was just a "persona", if that was what he was.

Ichigo fumed silently. He had no answer to that question. "The only thing I remember… is that I was born to do what Shuichi can never do: stand up for himself! I should be in control of my own existence, not him! He's useless! He's a wimp! My life can't be in his hands! I might as well be nothing now!" Ichigo glared at Shuichi. "What's wrong with you, you stupid wimp! Can't you hear me?"

Sakura stalked forward and slapped Ichigo on the cheek. "You should trust and respect Shindou-kun. He is our reason for being." Sakura said seriously. Ichigo's eyes glowed red and his claws automatically sharpened.

"You marked my face?" Ichigo laughed manically, already picturing Sakura's disfigured body. Sakura calmly drew his twin daggers and took a defensive stance. Ichigo instantly leapt at Sakura, claws ready to rip Sakura's heart out. Sakura effectively parried Ichigo's attack with his left blade and swiped out at Ichigo with the other.

The twin dagger came dangerously close to Ichigo's abdomen. It actually ripped through part of his dress robe. Ichigo growled wildly, bent his head back, and opened his mouth, baring his large fangs. Sakura did a back flip and landed farther back from the three chairs.

Ichigo bounded over the chairs, barely missing Shuichi's head. Tiril squealed and vanished into thin air, leaving the audience with these words: "Sorry, guys! Shuichi needs to deal with this on his own!" Yuki frowned at his words. Was this some sort of test for Shuichi?

Yuki looked at Shuichi, who was completely unaware of the fact that Ichigo and Sakura were fighting. Ichigo was wildly aggressive, attacking at every given second and Sakura was mostly dodging and parrying Ichigo's assault, striking only at the opportune moments. The **_real_** Shuichi must have been falling apart.

Yuki couldn't take anymore. Seeing two Shuichis trying to kill each other and another suffering from depression, it was too much for him. What kind of sick dream was this? What had happened to the boy in Hell that he was so broken inside? What could Yuki do to help him? "SHUICHI!" Yuki shouted as loud as he could, standing up as he did so.

It seemed as though the nightclub was frozen in place. Every being turned to him. The audience seemed to be aggravated. Then every seated creature got up and morphed into a zombie. Yuki gasped and backed away slightly. He had never seen so many zombies in one place. What was going on?

The zombies began dancing towards Yuki, their repulsiveness surrounding him. Their neon green skin glowed in the darkness, along with their bright orange eyes. Their black, stringy hair whipped about them as they danced, reminding Yuki of thin bats. They all had wide, open mouths. Their odor made Yuki want to pass out. Could he take on so many zombies at once? Would that disrupt Shuichi's mind? Maybe… maybe he shouldn't have come at all.

Two figures jumped in front of Yuki, prepared to protect him. Yuki's eyes widened. Sakura and Ichigo stood before Yuki. Together, the two beings attacked every zombie, Sakura on the left and Ichigo on the right. Yuki was amazed at how quickly and effectively they worked.

Sakura's twin blades rapidly swiped through every zombie he crossed. The zombies cried out in rasping voices as they disintegrated into blue dust particles, vanishing in the darkness. He struck swiftly, cruelly and quietly, destroying a zombie every few seconds. He stole a hasty looks at Yuki every once in a while to make sure the demon was safe. Yuki could tell that Sakura was only fighting to ensure his safety.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying the fight, just for the sake of killing. He did not care whether Yuki lived or not; he only wanted to kill. He leapt from one zombie to the next, biting off one's head, sticking a claw through another's stomach, all the while bathed in the sick and blue zombie blood. Ichigo grinned greedily and didn't even notice how horrifying he looked. It seemed as though he liked to make his opponents suffer as much as possible and bring them to theirs deaths in the most gruesome ways.

Finally, every zombie was gone. Blue dust and blue blood were everywhere. Yuki didn't move an inch. Neither did Shuichi, who was still seated in his chair. How could he sit through all that? What was wrong with him? Ichigo and Sakura made their way back to Yuki. The two of them stood before him, studying him.

"So, I finally meet the famous 'Yuki'." Ichigo sneered, flexing his claws menacingly. They did look terrifying, covered in blue blood. Sakura narrowed his eyes. He knew that Yuki was not supposed to be here.

"What is your business here?" Sakura frowned slightly.

"I came to speak to Shuichi." Yuki gestured to the sitting, miserable boy, whose sobs could still be heard, even while they were talking.

"I think I'll kill you now…" Ichigo took an offensive stance. "If I get rid of you here, you'll never be able to hurt me!"

"Do not be unreasonable." Sakura turned his frown onto Ichigo. "He must have something important to say."

"I don't care! And if you want to stand in my way, then so be it!" Ichigo ran at Yuki, but Sakura quickly moved to stand beside Yuki.

"Why would you protect him from the zombies, only to kill him later?" Sakura's chilling, purple gaze almost made Yuki wince. His daggers were drawn defensively. "He is not to perish here."

"Who do you think you are? Always telling _me_ what to do; what _you_ think is right! Well I've got news for you, **_DOLL_**: I don't care what you think!" Ichigo dashed at Sakura wildly, his eyes glowing bright red. Just as Ichigo was about to launch his attack, something happened that made them all freeze:

"**LEAVE YUKI ALONE!**" A loud shriek rang through the previously filled nightclub. They all turned to the stage. Shuichi was standing there, with tears still running down his cheeks. But there was a look of determination upon his face that Yuki had never seen before. "Don't you dare touch him-"

"Excuse me?" Ichigo leered at Shuichi, baring his fangs. "Listen up, you wimp. I take orders from no one! If I want to kill him, believe me, _I'll kill him_." Yuki actually felt fear for the first time in a while. True genuine fear that he was too proud to show, but wise enough to admit it was there.

Ichigo turned back to Yuki. "You see what you've done? You're only good for one thing: ruining people!" Ichigo smirked as Yuki backed away slightly. "Scared? You should be."

"I will protect you with my life." Sakura said simply. Yuki had almost forgotten that Sakura was there, because the being was so quiet. Yes, it was Sakura that stood before him as Ichigo's claws were headed right for them.

But then Shuichi vanished and reappeared right in between Ichigo and Sakura. Ichigo stopped running in shock, possibly at the look on Shuichi's face. "Sakura, take Yuki to safety." Shuichi stood proudly in front of Ichigo. It was time for him to fight.

"Yes, Shindou-kun." Sakura grabbed onto Yuki's arm and began running, dragging the blonde with him. The two of them jumped onto the stage and stood there, watching the two identical beings staring each other down.

"You finally got some backbone, wimp?" Ichigo laughed out loud. "Not that you'll win or anything… I _was_ getting tired of sparring with the doll."

"If Sakura is right and your existence _does_ depend on me…" Shuichi narrowed his purple eyes. "Then you've got a problem." Ichigo paled slightly and then angered even more.

Ichigo screamed out a shrill battle cry and jumped out at Shuichi, claws ready to rip through the boy. Shuichi dodged Ichigo's attack, but could not attack with anything of his own.

"Ha! You dare face me without a weapon? This is embarrassing." Ichigo snarled. "You want to die for him; I'll gladly give you your wish!" Ichigo raced at Shuichi, wanting to take a bite out of him this time.

A bright beam of light struck the middle of the stage, creating a large hole in it. Shuichi and Ichigo stopped fighting. Yuki and Sakura whirled around. Tiril himself rose up from the hole, wiping his eyes as if he had just woken up.

"Oh yeah… maybe I shouldn't have left…" Tiril yawned loudly. "You're still here? What's going on?" This was directed at Yuki. "Oops, I forgot to give Shuichi his weapon." He held his hands out and another beam of light came down from above, hitting his hands directly. When the light was gone, a sword was his hands.

Tiril immediately threw the sword at Shuichi, who caught it. The hilt was black, with sharp ridges on it. Shuichi wrinkled his nose at the silver, black, and red eye embedded on it. It was just creepy looking. The blade was long, thing, silver, and sleek, covered in ancient, red hieroglyphics.

Yuki would know that sword anywhere. It was the Blade of Lamentations, Manchu's sword. But why would his sword be in Shuichi's dream?

"You'll get the real thing once you reach to the valley." Tiril smiled mysteriously and rose into the air. "Shuichi, neither you nor Yuki can leave this realm until you are whole again. I will return once you become whole." And with that, Tiril ascended into the air and vanished with a flash of light.

Shuichi nodded his head slowly and turned to Ichigo. "So… I am the one. I am Shindou Shuichi… and I reign!" Shuichi held Manchu's sword close to him. "And I will fight until I win!"

"No, no, no!" Ichigo screeched furiously, blue waves emitting from his body. The waves blew through the stage, ripping it apart. Sakura grabbed onto Yuki and jumped into the air, just as wooden pieces came flying at them. The waves burst the tables and chairs to bits, completely abolishing everything. The only thing left was the chandelier. Sakura and Yuki landed back on the ground safely.

Shuichi whacked at the air a few times with his new sword, getting used to it. He twirled the hilt around with his hand, and then tossed the sword from his right hand to his left. "You can't beat me, Ichigo… because you're not real." Shuichi smiled softly, almost apologetically. He dashed at Ichigo, sword ready to cut.

"That's not true! I'm real, I'm real!" Ichigo ran at Shuichi, blinded by his own rage and despair. He began clawing at Shuichi aimlessly. Shuichi sliced Ichigo through the chest rapidly. Ichigo finally fell to the ground, sobbing openly.

"I'm real… I'm real…" Ichigo beat at the ground with his claws. "I'm not a wimp like you are… I'm real… I have to be…" Shuichi dropped his sword and made his way over to Ichigo. He knelt down next to Ichigo and put his arms around him. "Get off me! Get off!" Ichigo writhed crazily in Shuichi's arms.

"It's okay, Ichigo. I'm not entirely real, either. All three of us… we should be whole. Only then can we make up Shindou Shuichi." Shuichi looked up at Sakura.

"This is true. We must resolve our problems in order to become whole. Only then will the real Shuichi become stronger." Sakura made his way over to Ichigo and Shuichi. "We are the three aspects of what makes every being: Reason, Strength, and Emotion; the Mind, the Body, and the Soul. When these three are completely balanced, so is the being that holds them.

"But Shuichi is not balanced. He allows Emotion to rule over Reason and Strength. This is why Shindou-kun appears to be dominant over us. We are the distorted forms of three entities. We must sort out why this is so, in order to rectify this dilemma and have equal influence over Shuichi." Sakura turned to Yuki. "You will help us do this. Only then can you deliver your message to the true Shuichi. Are you ready?"

_What do I have to do with any of this?_ Yuki frowned. _It sounds like the boy needs therapy to me. I'm not a psychiatrist; how am I supposed to help?_ But Yuki had come all this way and besides, it's not like he had anywhere else to go.

"Sure, why not?" Yuki flashed his trademark smirk. "How do we go about 'rectifying this dilemma'?" Shuichi let go of Ichigo and stood up.

"I can help with that." A voice said from above them. It was Tiril, back again. Yuki didn't like how many times Tiril kept showing up. Did Shuichi actually know him? If so, that was bad. "I'll give the three of you a psychiatric evaluation, starting with Sakura. Then I'll move onto you, Shuichi. That should give Ichigo enough time to calm down." (Ichigo was curled up into a ball and was glaring out into the darkness.)

"The three of you like to sing, correct?" Tiril cocked his green head to one side. "Each of you will pick three songs to sing, songs that express what you feel inside. We'll find out why you picked them, what the lyrics mean to you, and eventually dig deeper. How does that sound?"

"Sure." Shuichi grinned slightly, stealing a look at Yuki. "Then, what will he do?" Sakura frowned in concentration, trying to think of the most suitable songs.

"When things get hard, let him be your rock to lean on. This is no joke. You're going to confront demons you've run away from." Tiril said seriously. "Sakura, your evaluation begins now. We will delve into your very existence to see how you affect Shuichi's world. We will discover how you, Reason, came to be."

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**And we're done! Whew, that was a big read lol. Hey I think we've plowed over the 300-page mark with that one lol. To all you guys that stuck it with me all this time, thanks. Gotta love you all. To all of you "craving" Yuki action, you'll have to wait. I have a little fluffy, touching scene(lol I think that's the right terminology) in Chapter 21. That should be enough for now, right? **

**Now then, the idea for the three distorted personas came from a _very_ famous anime. Can anyone guess what it is? Tee hee hee, if you can't, it's on my list of favorite anime on my profile. **

**Next up! Chapter 20: "If Passion Drives, Let Reason Hold the Reins." We dive into the guise of "Sakura". Why is he so emotionless? Why is the real Shuichi's Reason distorted? Why does Sakura even exist?**


	28. Chapter 20

**Hey everyone! Well, here's to another chapter of Prediction. Now... the next three chapters (this one included) are going to be short. I apologize and I'll have all three of them out as soon as possible, to keep you guys satisfied. (And to make up for the shortness lol). Oooh, I'm watching Rugrats in Paris. Wow it got three stars! I haven't seen that movie in years and just watching it brings back sweet memories.**

**So this chapter is centered on Reason (Sakura). The interaction btw. Sakura & Yuki is interesting. Now, I'm sorry if anyone is confused, but let's face it: Dreams weren't meant to be completely understood. **

**Disclaimer: The three songs used in this chapter are owned by: Trapt, Alexz Johnson (or whoever owns the Instant Star songs) and Marilyn Manson. Lol quite a variety, right? **

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**_CHAPTER TWENTY:_ **

"**_If Passion Drives, Let Reason Hold the Reins." _**

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_**

As if by magic, the stage and the three chairs appeared in the same spot, as good as new. At Tiril's nod, Sakura walked forward, stood in front of the middle seat, and stared expectantly at the Fallen Angel. Shuichi and Ichigo precisely vanished. Tiril was standing in the middle of the room and Yuki was behind him.

"Did you choose your songs?" Tiril demanded and Sakura nodded. "Very well. Sing the first one. Then be prepared to answer some questions." Sakura hesitated, opened his mouth, and began singing:

**"I can't remember  
The last time you cared about anything  
The last time you allowed yourself to be seen  
So pretentious your lies unrelenting disguise  
Creating tears in your eyes your mind withers and dies  
Pretending to be something you are not  
Somewhere in the middle you are now caught  
You've never seen who you really are**

**No life breathes in you  
All the time you laugh you wait you cry  
No part of your life is true  
All the time your life passes you by**

**The last time you cared about anything  
The last time you allowed yourself to be seen  
So pretentious your lies unrelenting disguise  
Creating tears in your eyes your mind withers and dies  
Pretending to be something you are not  
Somewhere in the middle you are now caught  
You've never seen who you really are**

**I don't ever want to see, I don't ever want to be like you, Hollow Man  
I don't care what you give  
Hollow man you can't live like this  
I don't ever want to see, I don't ever want to be like you, Hollow Man  
I don't care what you give  
Hollow man you can't live like this**

**Your voice is just a whisper  
You call upon your blank thoughts as you try  
To fit in where you missed her  
You missed the chance to stop living a lie**

**The last time you cared about anything  
The last time you allowed yourself to be seen  
So pretentious your lies unrelenting disguise  
Creating tears in your eyes your mind withers and dies  
Pretending to be something you are not  
Somewhere in the middle you are now caught  
You've never seen who you really are**

**I don't ever want to see, I don't ever want to be like you, Hollow Man  
I don't care what you give  
Hollow man you can't live like this  
I don't ever want to see, I don't ever want to be like you, Hollow Man  
I don't care what you give  
Hollow man you can't live like this**

**…I can't remember,  
The last time you cared about anything,  
The last time you allowed yourself to be seen,  
So pretentious your lies unrelenting disguise,  
Creating tears in your eyes your mind withers and dies.  
Pretending to be something you are not.  
Somewhere in the middle you are now caught.  
You've never seen who you really are.**

**I don't ever want to see, I don't ever want to be like you, Hollow Man!  
I don't care what you give,  
Hollow man you can't live like this!  
I don't ever want to see, I don't ever want to feel like you, Hollow Man!  
I don't care what you give,  
Hollow man you can't live like this, GO!**

**Where is your sanity your,  
Where is your shame? (OH!)  
When is your sanity?"**

Sakura closed his song and stared out into space, a faint blush on his cheeks. Yuki almost smiled. Even in this freaky dream, Shuichi was still a star. He still had one of the most beautiful voices Yuki had ever heard. But Sakura's song choice was so… well, it really fit Sakura. It conveyed the physical, mental, and social emptiness that made up Sakura's entire world and how Sakura was beginning to tire of it.

"Let's see… the song mentions 'Hollow Man' a lot. What does this mean to you?" Tiril frowned slightly.

"I feel hollow." Sakura answered simply.

"Okay, first off, I need more than three simple words from you. I need you to elaborate a little. We can't figure out what's wrong with you if you don't tell us." Tiril rolled his eyes. "What does that song mean to you? Why are you hollow?"

"I am hollow, because I do nothing but follow orders. As Ichigo often says, I am like a doll. I am not to feel anything." Sakura looked up into the darkness, as if he wanted its help. But the darkness could not help Sakura. He had to do this on his own. "I sometimes feel as if I am forgettable, another face in the crowd."

"Why can't you feel anything?" Tiril pressed on. "Why are you forgettable?"

"I am the distorted Shuichi that would exist if he allowed Reason to completely reign over his Emotion and Strength. I am the Shuichi that existed while he was a prostitute. I was not to feel anything, I was to obey every order, I was to remain silent at all times." Sakura said emotionlessly. "To all of them, I was just another supplier, forgettable and worthless. To them, I did not matter."

"I see. So whenever Shuichi was… 'at work', you dominated." Tiril nodded slowly, digesting this information. "His childhood was so traumatic, he cut off all his emotions so as to not get hurt. But this in fact, did not save his sanity, for we are all here trying to regain it."

"Every day, I felt as if I was wearing a blank mask. Every night I died, and every day, I was reborn. To do the same things over and over." Sakura said flatly, as if he resented his own existence. "Time passed by as blurry, obscure shadows."

"Let's hear your next song." Tiril smiled approvingly. "You're making good progress. What you really need to do is try to open up a bit more. But we'll get there." Sakura stole one look at Yuki and his eyes narrowed slightly:

**"You said I was your everything,  
You said I was the one,  
You played me like a radio,  
You use to love that I had no shame.**

**Pour my pain into words,  
Hold my hand to the flame.**

**Tell me you love me like a star  
Tell me you want me where ever you are,  
Tell me you breathe me until your last breath.  
Liar, Liar, oh, Liar, Liar.**

**Bit by bit I feel the draft,  
Just sit back and watch it burn,  
Hold your eyes up to my veins,  
Call out, call my name**

**Tell me you love me like a star,  
Tell me you want me where ever you are,  
Tell me you breathe me until your last breath.  
Liar, Liar,  
Oh, Liar, Liar, Liar, Liar, Oh, Liar, Liar**

**Tell me you love me like a star  
Tell me you want me where ever you are,  
Tell me you breathe me till your last breath.  
Liar, Liar.**

**Oh… tell me you love me like a star  
Tell me you want me where ever you are,  
Tell me you breathe me till your last breath.**

**Liar, Liar. Oh Liar, Liar."**

Before Sakura had finished the song, Yuki knew it was about him. Guilt and shame emitted off him like stench off a pig. But Yuki held his ground, refusing to break underneath Sakura's constant, chilling gaze. His tone during this song was lifeless and bitter, but still powerful.

"I see…" Tiril turned and gave Yuki a knowing look. "Well, let's talk about this song. Who lied to you?"

"It is not a matter of lying; it is a matter of assumption. I thought I was no longer needed when Shuichi came to the Demon Realm. I thought that this 'Yuki' would take care of him. Shuichi did everything he could to stay on Yuki's good side." Sakura paused and his amethyst eyes narrowed. "But when Shuichi needed him the most, Yuki abandoned him. Shuichi was forced to call upon me once more, for he was so hurt at that moment."

Yuki's eyes widened. He remembered that moment: _"Forget it." Shuichi had snapped out coldly. "Leave."_ He remembered how Shuichi's tone had caused him to freeze, but he didn't think anything of it. Not then, anyway.

"He treated you with tenderness, such kindness, only to be thrown away at the worst possible moment. You will never truly realize how much you hurt him, for he never showed anyone. He had to lock his emotions away in order to be strong, so as not to be incriminated." Sakura never broke her cold gaze.

"Judging me is not part of your test." Yuki answered, his words not conveying how he actually felt inside. "My business is with Shuichi, not you."

"You fail to realize that I am Shuichi's Reason, therefore, I am a part of him. What you do to him, you to do me. I suppose you would rather converse with a whole Shuichi, rather than a fragmented one, but I must enlighten you… I do not care about you, Yuki. I do not care whether you live, marry or die. I do not wish for love. But I do know it is necessary for Shuichi to live. It is the only thing he will ever ask of you. If you cannot grant that single request-" Sakura articulated stonily.

"Would I be here if I couldn't?" Yuki interrupted rudely.

"Alright, alright. Good job, Yuki. Sakura is beginning to voice his opinions; that's good. You're expressing yourself, Sakura, and that's what this is all about." Tiril decided to cut their conversation short. "Last song."

**"Today I am dirty  
I want to be pretty  
Tomorrow, I know that I'm just dirt**

**Today I am dirty  
I want to be pretty  
Tomorrow, I know I'm that just dirt**

**We are the nobodies  
who wanna be somebodies  
When we're dead,  
they'll know just who we are**

**We are the nobodies  
who wanna be somebodies  
When we're dead,  
they'll know just who we are**

**Yesterday I was dirty  
Won't dare to be pretty  
I know now that I'm forever dirt**

**Yesterday I was dirty  
Won't dare to be pretty  
I know now that I'm forever dirt**

**We are the nobodies  
We wanna be somebodies  
When we're dead,  
They'll know just who we are**

**We are the nobodies  
We wanna be somebodies  
When we're dead,  
They'll know just who we are**

**Some children died the other day  
We fed machines and then we prayed  
Puked up and down in morbid faith  
You should have seen the ratings that day**

**Some children died the other day  
We fed machines and then we prayed  
Puked up and down in morbid faith  
You should have seen the ratings that day**

**We are the nobodies  
Who wanna be somebodies  
When we're dead,  
They'll know just who we are**

**We are the nobodies  
Who wanna be somebodies  
When we're dead,  
They'll know just who we are**

**We are the nobodies  
We wanna be somebodies  
When we're dead,  
They'll know just who we are…"**

Sakura finished his last song and blinked. "Er… interesting song choice." Tiril raised an eyebrow. "Okay, it was creepy and morbid. I didn't like the last part."

"I chose that song because of its title, not necessarily because of the lyrics. It is entitled 'The Nobodies'. It gives me comfort, knowing that I am not the only 'nobody' in the world, that there might be others like me." Sakura explained, looking up into the bright chandelier. "Loneliness is the one feeling that I have always felt and it is the one feeling that I loathe the most."

"I see… so what can you do to relieve yourself of this loneliness? What can you do to cease being nobody?" Tiril cocked his head to one side.

"I do not know." Sakura looked down at his feet uneasily.

"Well, I can't _give_ you your answers. You have to figure this out on your own." Tiril rolled his orange orbs impatiently. "Come on, we'd all like to _leave_ some time soon."

"Is being insensitive supposed to impel him to come up with the perfect solution?" Yuki crossed his arms over his chest. "As far as I'm concerned, if Shuichi was more reasonable, it would make him a lot smarter. More importantly, he'd survive in Hell. I think, from the moment Shuichi begins to utilize Sakura in the way Reason was _meant_ to be used, Sakura will cease to be nobody."

Sakura's purple eyes widened in astonishment. "Is this true?" For the first time, Yuki saw hope on Sakura's face. It looked brighter and there was even a hint of happiness on it. "Yes, it is. I shall anticipate the time when I will be somebody."

"I'll make sure to tell him to rely on his Reason more often." Yuki frowned. "You would have saved me a lot of headaches in the past." He recalled how many times Shuichi had acted idiotically. Hopefully those times were over now.

"Thank you, Yuki." Sakura bowed his pink head. "I, Reason, shall guide Shindou Shuichi for all eternity. Shuichi will make the right decisions, decipher right from wrong, based on my intellect. I will allow both Emotion and Strength play a part in my decision-making when it becomes apparent that they are needed."

"You **_are_** ready!" Tiril grinned widely and did a happy dance. "Time to go!" Sakura rose in the air until he was right below the bright chandelier. Sakura stole one last look at Yuki and he truly saw the change in the half-demon. Sakura's face before he disappeared was one of true contentment. It made Yuki feel proud, that he had helped Shuichi heal, somewhat. "Emotion! You're up next!"

* * *

**Sooo... yeah not my best chapter. But it was necessary. I'm not the best psychiatrist, but hey, I'm going the best I can. The next chapter will be a lot more enjoyable b/c there's fluff. Er, that means loving, warm, fuzzy feelings, etc. (I think...)And best of all, it's between Emotion (the crying Shuichi) and Yuki. That was bound to happen sometime, right? **

**Chapter 21: "To Love is to Receive a Glimpse of Heaven" Coming soon! Very soon, cuz I'm working on it! **


	29. Chapter 21

**Lol hey peeps! So I planned on having this chapter out earlier, but due to some inspiration(lol me listening to "Queen of the Damned" by Slipknot and KoRn while putting away cleaning supplies) the element of this chapter has changed drastically. It's longer than I expected and it took a while to write. **

**Yes, this chapter still has the beloved "fluff", but there is something more. If anyone is confused by something I wrote, just mention it in a review or PM me and I'll get back to ASAP. But just know beforehand that some of the things mentioned in this chapter were _meant_ to be enigmatic.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Enigma" (Trapt does) or the song "All is Fair in Love" (Stevie Wonder does, but the version Shuichi sings was performed by Marc Anthony in the past). **

**Oh yeah and you rock Luciver! Thanks for telling me. Lol I didn't even notice, I've been soo tired lately.**

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_**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:**_

"**_TO LOVE IS TO RECEIVE A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN."

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_**

Shindou Shuichi suddenly appeared on the stage, but without the Blade of Lamentations. "Where's Sakura?" He gave Tiril a suspicious look.

"He completed his examination. It is your turn." Tiril answered simply. "Sing your first song."

"O-okay." Shuichi gulped nervously, closed his eyes, and began to sing:

"**Do we know how to get the message across?  
We turn the lights off to find a way out  
No time to get through to grasp what was lost  
Don't turn the lights off and leave me in the dark**

**Hey, I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding  
I don't want to be left alone, not when I'm right next to you  
What are you thinking, it's so misleading  
Is it not for me to know, I think it's just hard for you to show**

**We never spoke in the words that we want  
We turn the lights off to find a way out  
We've never chosen it to keep what we've got  
Don't turn the lights off and leave me in the dark**

**Hey, I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding  
I don't want to be left alone, not when I'm right next to you  
What are you thinking, it's so misleading  
Is it not for me to know, I think it's just hard for you to show**

**Hard for you to show  
And it's so hard for you to show  
Why is it hard for you to show  
Hard for you to show**

**I thought it would be nice to lie down and close my eyes  
It never occurred to me that I am already asleep**

**Don't be the one to  
Don't be the one to be let go  
Don't be the one to  
Don't be the one to be alone  
Don't be the one to  
Don't be the one to be let go  
Don't be the one to  
(Sleep in your arms tonight)**

**Hey, I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding  
I don't want to be left alone, not when I'm right next to you  
What are you thinking, it's so misleading**

**I don't wanna be left alone**

**I don't wanna be left alone**

**I don't wanna be left alone  
And I don't wanna be left alone**

**And I don't wanna be left alone  
No one wants to be left alone…"**

"Hmm… very depressing song choice, Shuichi." Tiril frowned, blinking his big eyes. "So… your soul is bleeding, you don't want to be left alone by someone you're close to… jeez you're an emotional train wreck. Why do you feel this way?" Shuichi just stared at Tiril, faintly blushing. He didn't say one word.

"Look, you're going to have to help us out here. Yuki and I can't help you if you don't tell us what's wrong with you." Tiril gestured to the blonde demon, who was now standing next to him. Shuichi's sad purple eyes found Yuki's reassuring golden ones. But he still didn't say anything. "Grrrr… a little help here, Yuki?"

"You represent Shuichi's Emotion. It can't be that hard to express emotions; it's all you are." Yuki cocked an eyebrow. "What's holding you back?"

"My emotions." Shuichi whispered softly, staring down at his hands.

"Why are they holding you back?" Yuki had to brace himself to be patient. This Shuichi was a lot like the real one. He remembered how emotional and unreasonable his puff ball was. He didn't like being an interrogator, but Tiril obviously wasn't up to the job.

"I… There's too much wrong with me. I don't know where to start…" Tears leaked from Shuichi's melancholy eyes. "I'm scared, I'm sad, I'm uncertain… and I can't explain why. I wish I wasn't alive."

"Why do you only feel negative emotions?" Yuki asked, stealing an annoyed look at Tiril. "Isn't this supposed to be _your_ job?" _This is ridiculous._ Personally, he liked Sakura. A lot more.

"You seem to be doing a _lovely_ job. You got him to talk." Tiril grinned quickly at the blonde demon, who was becoming more aggravated by the nanosecond. "Keep going, you've got him."

Yuki's left eye twitched. At this point, he was beyond annoyed. Why should he have to help the maudlin boy? He scowled darkly, glaring at Shuichi.

"I'm… sorry. I know I-I'm weak. I'm sorry…" Shuichi's pitiful whimpering only aggravated Yuki more.

"Don't you have a backbone? What happened to that resilience of yours?" Yuki muttered the last question, but Shuichi still heard it. His eyes filled with tears and he whimpered even more. Yuki groaned out loud, and raked his fingers through his blonde hair.

_I have no choice… when dealing with Sakura, using my sense of reason was adequate. Now with Shuichi I have to use my heart._ Yuki wrinkled his nose in disgust. _This is a dream, so he probably won't even remember. And if he does… I'll make sure he does NOT tell a soul._

"Shuichi, you need to believe in yourself." Yuki had to bit his lower lip to keep from mentally puking at his words. "You have low self-esteem and that needs to change. Soon. Not many beings can survive the sort of things you did and that's something to be proud of. You're powerful, you're… er, smart, and _very_ attractive. So believe me: you need to be alive."

Shuichi blushed brightly and began wringing his hands together. "You say that… but not everyone thinks so. I'm a bother to a lot of people. I'm just a… pathetic half-breed. I can't… I couldn't even take care of Michael…" Shuichi let out a sigh, his eyes filling with tears again.

"What does it matter what other people think?" Yuki shouted out. He was extremely pissed off. Shuichi jumped at the tone of his voice. "Isn't the fact that _I_ want you alive enough? Why do you need approval from those that hate you?"

"Since when do you want me alive?" Shuichi shrieked out, more tears dropping from his eyes. "You said 'I want NOTHING MORE to do with the defendant'! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you…" Shuichi fell to his knees on the floor and his tears fell upon the wood, staining it darkly.

Yuki didn't know what to say. Well, actually he did. The boy had a point. Who was he to try and pull the boy out of his slump, using pathetically encouraging words, when it was Yuki who partially put him there in the first place? Did that one sentence really make such an impact on his world? What was Yuki supposed to do? How could he show the boy that he didn't mean those hurtful words?

Yuki slowly walked over to the stage, where Shuichi was sobbing his heart out once again. How so many tears could fall was a mystery to the blonde. He finally stopped when he was right in front of Shuichi. He reached up with his hand and tenderly ruffled the boy's pink hair.

Shuichi sniffled and looked down at Yuki, slightly shocked. Yuki took Shuichi's head in his hands and softly pulled the boy down to him. The blonde placed a light kiss on Shuichi's bang-covered forehead. "I'm sorry." Yuki said simply, leaning forward so that their foreheads were touching. "Now will you let me help you?" He spoke in the gentlest voice he had ever used in his life.

Shuichi nodded quietly, a small smile on his face. Yuki pulled away and licked away the tears on Shuichi's left cheek. Shuichi then threw his arms around Yuki's neck and hid his face in between the blonde's neck and shoulder. Yuki slowly rubbed Shuichi's back.

"No matter what anyone says to you, remember this: you're mine and you're enough for me. You'll _always_ be enough for me." Yuki detached Shuichi's arms from his neck and backed away to get a better look at the boy. "Understood?"

"Yeah." Shuichi nodded, a more confident ring in his tone. Yuki playfully hit Shuichi on his nose. "Hey!" He giggled and flashed his trademark pout. "You're mine, too, Yuki. So you better not marry Ayaka."

"Are you trying to turn this dream into a nightmare?" Yuki raised an eyebrow and Shuichi grinned widely. "Hurry up and sing your next song. I'm getting tired of this stupid stage."

"You don't like it?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side. He stood up and backed away slightly, preparing himself to sing. "Well… a change of scenery is always good…" The half-demon closed his eyes and focused. Yuki watched in shock as the darkness in the realm fell away to light. It was as if the sun was rising in the once dark land. The stage and the chandelier faded away to light.

Yuki watched as a bright, blue sky appeared above him and fresh, green grass appeared from below. He heard birds singing and he felt the gently, whispering wind rustling through his hair. He was in an endless, serene field of green. The sun twinkled down on the blonde and everything was perfect.

Yuki, in spite of himself, smiled slightly. No longer would he have to stare at that dismal, wooded stage. He liked this "stage" a lot better. But where was Shuichi? Yuki began turning his golden head around, looking for the creator of the calm world around him. And where was Tiril, that _useless_ Fallen?

Yuki began to walk around the field that stretched as far as he could see. Green and blue went on forever and ever. He trailed through the grass and watched as flowers rose up from the ground as he passed over the ground. Flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors. It was as if Yuki was creating a garden of some kind, simply by walking.

"Yuki?" The blonde thought he heard Shuichi call his name. He whirled around, but no one was there. Was Yuki going insane? What had happened? "Up here!" Yuki looked up and instead of dropping his jaw, like a normal demon would have done, he simply raised an eyebrow at this particular sight.

Shuichi was sitting on top of a puffy, fluffy, white cloud. It was hovering in the air, not too far away from Yuki. "Hi!" The boy grinned widely and waved. "I was looking for you." The cloud wasn't too big or too small; it was just perfect for Shuichi to sit on. "Now that I have your attention, I can sing my next song."

But before Shuichi could begin singing, Tiril appeared in a flash of blue smoke. He landed on his feet on top of Shuichi's cloud. Although he looked the same, he gave off a wise, elderly air. Yuki knew right away that something was wrong. "Huh? What's up?" Shuichi shifted around so that he was facing the Fallen Angel. Tiril let out a long sigh, as if he was an old man.

"I have come to inform you of something." Tiril looked around, as if he was looking for someone. "Shuichi, I originally produced this dream. I am the Archangel Raziel, the Angel of Mysteries."

"Huh… I, but I thought-" Shuichi's eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yuki snapped out. _First Tiril, now Raziel? What the **hell** is going on here?_ He stole a quick look at the confused boy. _Is he really that special? He's encountered more Angels in a week than most demons do in millennia. _Raziel was basically an encyclopedia on all things secret, arcane, and mysterious. His knowledge knew no bounds, not even time.

Raziel was one of the most powerful, most distinctive, most prominent, Archangels in the universe. The fact that he had actually showed up in Shuichi's dream was unbelievable. But Raziel was actually speaking to them. It was truly an honor to speak to this great Archangel. _Maybe I shouldn't snap at him…_ Yuki thought to himself. _He could probably kill me just by thinking about it._ The Archangel rose up from the cloud, floating mid-air, so that he was looking down upon them.

"I am merely borrowing Tiril's appearance to speak with you." Tiril/Raziel said patiently. "There are many things you will discover about yourself and this dream was supposed to aid you. You were supposed to regain all your lost memories and truly understand yourself. We were meant to stay here as long as it possibly took. Unfortunately, an outside force is threatening this process.

"As you know, Yuki, Horobosu is one of the oldest demons alive. He was an army commander during the Zenith Wars. But unfortunately, his malevolent, distorted mind was too radical for even the demons to control. He was executed and sentenced to Hell for all eternity by his subordinates. Being stuck in one realm for so long can build resentment in a demon.

"Like his younger brother, Ramechi, Horobosu specializes in hallucinations and such. This is the only thing they have in common, besides sharing blood. But demonic families believe in blood loyalty, so after the entity known as 'Ichigo' killed Ramechi, Horobosu was immediately notified.

"It did not take him long to find you, Shuichi, but due to Raphael's barrier, he was not able to kill you in your sleep. He did the next best thing, utilizing his powers to infiltrate this dream. He has been secretively eavesdropping this entire time, but because you impulsively decided to change your surroundings, I was able to confirm his presence in this dream.

"Shuichi, you must be _very_ careful. Horobosu knows **_you_** now. He is aware of your strengths, your weaknesses, your fears, everything. He has heard and seen everything. He is still listening. I cannot return your memories to you while he watches. There are certain things in your life that occurred, secrets in your mind that no one else must know. I shall leave the task of returning your memories to Seki." Tiril/Raziel frowned slightly.

"Wait… you said no one else should know. But _you_ do, right?" Shuichi gave the Archangel a suspicious look. "How do I know you're not Horobosu?"

"He has a point." Yuki frowned. To put it frankly, nothing Raziel said had made any sense to the blonde. Demons breaking into dreams… But then again, hadn't Yuki done the same thing? So maybe… maybe Horobosu _was_ here somewhere. And besides, Raziel was speaking with all the higher knowledge he had acquired simply by existing. Raziel was a mystery and it wouldn't make much sense to try and understand everything he was saying, just the highlights.

The highlights were: Shuichi was supposed to regain all of his memories in this dream due to Raziel's divine abilities, Yuki and Horobosu entered Shuichi's dream without being invited, Raziel was speaking to them now to warn them, Horobosu wanted Shuichi's head on a stick, and now Shuichi was in a lot of danger.

_Simplicity is a good thing._ Yuki decided, nodding his head slightly.

"Horobosu cannot touch you while I am here." Tiril/Raziel laughed, as if what Shuichi had said was completely absurd. "As of now, he is harmless. Shuichi, my boy, **_there is nothing I do not know_**. The keys to knowing are listening and learning. Do not say or do anything that can further impair you."

Shuichi was frozen. Somehow he knew… he just knew that Raziel was telling the truth. He gulped in fear. He was in the presence of someone great and he had questioned that great being. But Raziel seemed to be a sensible being, one that would not get angry easily. And besides, when you're that smart, anger must seem useless. Now _that_ was maturity.

"My time here is up." Tiril/Raziel lifted his eyes up to the sky.

"Wait! Raziel! Do you know- Tell me where Apollyon is!" Shuichi shouted out, correcting himself. Of course Raziel knew where Apollyon was.

"You are simply a portion of the true Shuichi. Telling you would be fruitless, for once the three of you assimilate into one another, Shuichi will forget certain things that occurred here, but Horobosu will not." Tiril/Raziel said simply. He wove his hand and Shuichi immediately passed out onto the soft cloud.

Tiril/Raziel lowered himself to the ground and sat down on the grass, motioning for Yuki to do the same. Yuki immediately obeyed, taking his seat.

_Is all this for nothing? All this time I spent here with him… and he might not remember it._ Yuki glared at his legs, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you wish for the boy to remember, I shall speak with Seki and see what we can do." Tiril/Raziel broke the eerie silence.

"I didn't ask you to." Yuki retorted instantly and regretted his words just as quickly. Here he was, giving an Archangel lip. He really was lucky to be alive.

"You didn't have to ask. I know you want me to." Tiril/Raziel smiled enigmatically. "You have done something remarkable today, in helping the boy with his mental restoration. The other High Angels did not belive you would do such a thing. For proving them wrong, for rising higher than their expectations, you deserve recognition for the act you performed.

"As soon as the boy wakes from this dream, Ramechi shall be fully restored. I will not authorize the sending of an Archangel down to Hell for there is a special being the boy has already come in contact with. She will aid in the mission to come." Tiril/Raziel paused slightly, giving Yuki an evocative glance.

"Who is it?" Yuki scowled. He didn't want Horobosu to know, but Yuki was curious. What strong being had Shuichi met already? A being so strong that an Archangel's services weren't even required…

"I am not meant to reveal her name. Horobosu cannot break the girl, lest he face the wrath of a Hybrid that dwells in insanity." Tiril/Raziel answered gravely. Well, his answer gave Yuki even more questions, but he held his tongue.

"I will take my leave now." Tiril/Raziel once again broke the grim silence, rising up into the air. His body began glowing gold. "The boy will wake up and most likely not remember what was spoken here. Perhaps this is for the best; I do not wish for fear to cloud his restoration."

"What about Horobosu?" Yuki demanded. "He needs to know about-"

"I will exit, taking his presence with me. No more shall he ominously observe you." Tiril/Raziel's face brightened slightly. "Tiril will tell Shuichi about Horobosu. He is quite dependable, letting me borrow his essence in this dream, if only for a short while." Yuki stood up, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Raphael is a coward." Yuki snapped out. "Tiril didn't deserve-"

"I am not here to debate the past, Yuki. They will meet again and resolve their problems." Tiril/Raziel said sternly. "That is all I will say on that matter."

"I have one last question." Yuki decided to try his luck and Raziel's patience. After the Archangel nodded slightly, Yuki continued: "Homosexuality is forbidden in Heaven. How will the other Angels handle-"

"They will have no choice but to accept Shuichi. He will be ruler over all and his personal life has absolutely nothing to do with how he shall rule." Tiril/Raziel chuckled. "Believe me… many Angels have 'private' lives similar to Shuichi's. Do not fear their ignorance."

"Thank you." Yuki actually smiled, feeling a bit relived. Tiril/Raziel wove his hand again and Shuichi began to stir. _He's waking up…_

"Farewell, Yuki. May you always reside in the light through Shuichi." Tiril/Raziel's body vanished and Shuichi immediately woke up.

Shuichi looked around, dazed. "Sorry, Yuki, guess I got kinda tired! I think… I was gonna sing my second song, right?" The boy slowly sat up.

"The sooner I get out of here, the better. Hurry up." Yuki muttered, crossing his arms over his chest and staring up at his idiot. Shuichi cocked his head to one side, trying to remember his choice. Shuichi confidently stood up and stared out into the field. Then his innocent lavender orbs widened and he opened his cute mouth:

"**All is fair in love  
Love's a crazy game  
Two people vow to stay  
In love as one they say…**

**But all is changed with time  
The future none can see  
The road you leave behind  
Ahead lies mystery**

**But all is fair in love  
I had to go away  
A writer takes his pen  
To write the words again  
That all in love is fair**

**All of fate's a chance  
It's either good or bad  
I tossed my coin to say  
In love with me you'd stay**

**But all in war is so cold  
You either win or lose  
When all is put away  
The losing side I'll play**

**But all is fair in love  
I should have never left your side  
A writer takes his pen  
To write the words again  
That all in love is fair**

**A writer takes his pen  
To write the words again  
That all in love is fair…"**

Shuichi closed his long note, giving it all he had. Yuki couldn't help it; his jaw dropped. That was probably the best singing performance Yuki had ever heard in his life. Shuichi put every single emotion he had into those words. He poured his very soul into it. He held onto _every_ ending note as if his life depended on it. And the song responded to Shuichi's passion, resonating back with clarity and beauty.

The very world they were in seemed to enjoy Shuichi's song. The sky was clearer, the sun was brighter; the wind carried Shuichi's song throughout the land. Yuki smiled brightly for the first time in… well, who knew when. Hearing Shuichi sing so wonderfully took Yuki's mind off the more critical matters, like Horobosu possibly killing the boy.

"That was beautiful." Yuki uttered truthfully.

"It was for you… Yuki." Shuichi smiled with embarrassment, a tint of red on his cheeks. "I was thinking of you the whole time." If anything, this made Yuki even happier. That Shuichi would do something so divine for him. No one had ever shown Yuki such splendor before.

"'I should have never left your side'." Yuki softly repeated a line in the song.

"Yeah… I shouldn't have given up so easily back then." Shuichi plopped back down on his comfy cloud. "You mean a lot to me, Yuki and I'm never letting you go again. I don't care what you say or do. I'm sticking around no matter what."

Yuki didn't know what to say. Shuichi sounded so sure of himself, so confident. Was this… was this love's true power? Yuki looked down at his hands, his hands that ached to hold Shuichi. He felt overwhelmed with emotion, so overtaken that he could barely process the fact that this was actually a dream. It all felt so real to him, so right.

As if hearing the blonde's unspoken, implicit request, Shuichi gently hopped off the cloud and landed right in Yuki's arms. Yuki held Shuichi as tightly and as closely as he could. "Aishiteru, Yuki." Shuichi whispered in his ear.

Yuki had one arm securely fastened around Shuichi's waist and his other hand was cupping the back of the boy's head, occasionally stroking the pink locks. Shuichi had his legs wrapped around Yuki's waist and his arms hooked around the blonde's neck. The two stayed like that for a long time.

"Yuki, I think I finally realized something." Shuichi pulled away from Yuki and the demon set him back on his feet. "All I need is you, Yuki. As long as I have you beside me, I can face anything. I can believe in myself, I can learn to manipulate water, I can face bullies, heck, and I can even take Nuri on… if I have to. As long as I know I have you, I can bounce back from anything.

"I am Shuichi's Emotion and I depend on you. You are the center of my life. When you are with me, whether in body or in spirit, my world is right. I care so much about others, but what I truly need is for someone to care for me. That someone is you. For I give to much love to others, it is only natural that I ask for some in return.

"Maybe you don't realize how important you are… but I hope that changes. I, Emotion, am a heavy influence on Shuichi. I am his heart, one of the strongest aspects of Shuichi. I am the 'resilience' you speak of. I am his altruism, I am his passion; I am his righteousness. Shuichi probably allowed me to have too much authority, so most of the decisions he's made up to his point have been made by what he has felt in his heart, not what he has thought in his head.

"I do not know why we were brought here or who did this, but I'm glad we met face to face. You are the one I love, Yuki. That will never change." Shuichi stared profoundly at Yuki. "I pray you feel the same." Yuki opened his mouth, but Shuichi held his hand up. "That is not for you to say now. You will tell your feelings to the _whole_ Shindou Shuichi."

Yuki looked up and saw that the sky was glowing purple. Shuichi rose in the air, smiling down lovingly at the blonde demon. Gusts of wind began pushing him higher and higher up. "I guess it's time for Ichigo to emerge and face his inner demons. You'll have a hard time with him. Be careful." Shuichi waved gently at Yuki until he disappeared from the blonde's eyesight.

"Until we meet again…" Yuki looked up into the calm sky wistfully.

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**So there we have it. Wow its 11:30. I need sleep. I have a pool party tomorrow and Pirates of the Caribbean 2 FINALLY comes out! I'm sooo pumped! **

**The next chapter is going to be violent, of course. Ichigo is not going to be straightened without putting up a good fight. So be prepared for some vivid battle scenes, some screaming, some blood, and who knows... maybe a little unbridled passion.**

**I haven't picked/found the right quote for Ichigo's chapter, so I'm not going to give you guys one yet lol. I'm not sure how long it's going to be, but I can be pretty unpredictable at times. Actually, I think it's my mind that's impulsive, not me. **

**But anyways, hope you enjoyed this latest update and I'll start working on Chapter 22 on Sunday! (Lol I have an out-of-state college visit on Saturday, so that day is pretty much done.) **


	30. Chapter 22 Part 1

**Hey everyone! So yea, I've been really busy lately. Some of you know why and some of you don't. I've been packing, working on scholarship essays, shopping for vacation, etc. All in all, I've been really busy. I really appreciate everyone's patience. And if you were impatient, hey we have something in common!**

**The sole song used in this chapter is called "Headstrong" by Trapt. Lol anyone seeing a pattern here? But yea, I wrote this all in one night. Lol I need to stop doing that. If anyone catches any mistakes, PM me or leave it in a review. **

**So... this chapter has no "unbridled passion", but it has plenty of screaming and blood. Lol maybe I'll force Ichigo and Yuki to have a heated make-out session next chappie. You never know with me. Hell,_ I _didn't even know Chapter 22 was going to have two parts until I typed "weak". That's how in control of my mind I am.**

**Just a warning for you guys, my next chapter might not be up for a while, b/c I'm going on vacation from July 22nd-29th. I have another college visit on Monday, but _hopefully_ I can squeeze Part 2 in somewhere. It's not definite lol.**

**Oh yeah, another warning. There's a little cussing' in this chapter. Lol the teen rating finally comes into play. But yea, I don't use curses that often, but for this chapter I did for some reason. (Prays that Mother never reads this chapter)

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_**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: (Part 1)**_

"**_It is when Power is Wedded to Chronic Fear, that it Becomes Formidable."

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_**

Yuki was sitting in the grass patiently, waiting for Ichigo to appear. He knew that he would have to brace himself to face the angry, insane segment of his puff ball. He also knew it would be a challenge. But no matter how much the blonde had mentally prepared himself, he never expected this to happen:

Ichigo, the misrepresentation of Shuichi's Strength, suddenly appeared in a puff of black and red smoke. He was floating mid-air, away from were Yuki was seated. Ichigo's dress was even more torn and bloody, as were his fangs and claws. He was breathing heavily, and wiped some sweat off his brow.

Tiril teleported into the air, wielding a green and orange energy ball in his hands. He instantly shot it down at Ichigo, who dodged it and swiped at the Fallen Angel with his claws. Yuki's jaw dropped open. Why were they fighting? The sky began to darken and the wind began to pick up speed.

"Stupid kid!" Ichigo leapt forward, and grabbed Tiril by his green hair. Tiril cried out as Ichigo yanked him harshly around and finally threw him to the ground. Ichigo laughed manically as Tiril's blood spilled onto the green grass, staining it. Yuki dove forward and knelt down by the little boy. "Eh? It's you. Finally I can kill you!" Blue energy waves emitted off of Ichigo's body and Yuki could've sworn he heard thunder crackle in the distance.

Yuki picked Tiril's body up and jumped high into the air, just in time to avoid Ichigo's claws. He cursed to himself. _It looks like I'll have to defeat Ichigo in order to get his respect. Only then will he begin to level…_ He stared down at Tiril's unconscious body. _I can't carry him around all the time. But it wouldn't surprise me if Ichigo attacked him while he was on the ground. I have no choice._

"Done thinking of your 'master plan'?" Ichigo leered wildly.

Yuki's left eye twitched. Okay, abnormal portion of Shuichi or not, this bitch needed to learn his place. He quickly let go of Tiril's body and held the boy up with his left knee. He made rapid motions with his hands and his trademark inferno engulfed Ichigo's body. The black and silver flames relentlessly burned the angry half-demon and he roared in pain. Lightning struck somewhere in the distance and the thunder that followed seemed to echo Ichigo's howl.

Tiril's orange eyes opened and he stared up at the pissed off demon. "Hi…" Tiril whispered gently and Yuki looked down at the Angel. "Do I have a bald spot?" Yuki just let go of Tiril and the Angel floated next to him.

Yuki took off towards Ichigo, ready to increase the intensity of his flames when a lightning bolt struck him in the back. His eyes widened in shock and pain as he felt himself plummeting to the ground. The blonde managed to stop himself from falling and quickly chanted a spell for curative flames.

"DON'T COME NEAR ME!" Ichigo screamed out, producing even more blue waves that mixed with the black and silver. "I'LL KILL BOTH OF YOU!" Torrents of rain began to fall to the ground, blinding Yuki's vision. Tiril worriedly flew down to the demon. Yuki had surrounded himself with green flames and was attempting to heal himself.

Ichigo saw this and let out a loud scream. The black and silver flames burst off his body and became raw energy. Ichigo pointed at Tiril and the energy soared at the child, unbeknownst to him. The sky was completely black at this point and the only source of light was the lightning, which was becoming more frequent.

Yuki finished healing himself and felt a tiny arm clutching onto his. It was Tiril. For once, he was glad the kid was there. Hopefully, they could take Ichigo down together. But his oh-so-tender feelings were interrupted by the rocket of raw demonic energy headed straight for them.

Yuki grabbed onto Tiril and zipped higher, holding his arm in front of him so he could see through the persistent rain. He could hear and feel the energy following his every move. "It's no use! That energy was initiated by you and it wants to come home." Ichigo laughed evilly. "It will follow you until it impacts." Yuki scowled and flew faster, trying to think of a plan.

Just when things seemed to be hopeless, Yuki and Tiril heard a voice singing among the disorder that the thunderstorm had created. It was like a clear bell ringing in the distance. The voice gave them both the light known as hope:

**Circling _your_, circling _your_, circling your head  
Contemplating everything you ever said  
Now I see the truth**

"If you can counter the old energy with some new energy, will they cancel each other out?" Tiril shouted above the loud wind. Yuki's eyes widened; why hadn't **_he_** thought of that? He quickly threw Tiril away and used a different fire-based spell. Now he had a ball of gold and blue flames whizzing around him like a hyper Shuichi. The ball began speeding around faster and faster. The unknown voice continued on, singing through the noise like a gentle siren among screams:

**I got a doubt  
A different motive in your eyes and now I'm out  
See you later**

The black and silver energy was just about to hit Yuki, when his new energy shielded him. Upon impact, they both exploded, sending white flames everywhere. Yuki had to dodge his own flames. But now for long, because the pouring rain quickly doused them.

**I see your fantasy, you want to make it a reality paved in gold  
See inside, inside of our heads, yeah  
Well now that's over**

That's when he realized it: _Shuichi attacks with water… my powers are practically useless against him… _Yuki scowled and looked around for Tiril. _What are his powers?_ He finally spotted Tiril on the ground below him. The boy was huddled into a ball and he was trying to warm himself. Yuki descended to the ground and ran over to Tiril.

**I see your motives inside, and your decisions to hide  
Aaargh!**

Ichigo's body began glowing blue and the storm grew even more chaotic. The fragile, dream world around them was beginning to fall apart. "I'm so… cold…" Tiril whimpered out, his voice nearly drowned out by the sounds of the raging storm around them. "It's too dark…" Yuki used his body to shield Tiril from the rain. "Tiril, do you know what your powers are?" Yuki demanded. "I need to know." _He may be our only hope. I can only hope he inherited his father's powers._

**Back off I'll take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong**

"Ummm… I'm really good at healing and I can attack with wind." Tiril gave Yuki a curious look. "Oh yeah and for some reason, if I look at the sun, I feel stronger." _Why is he asking me that? What can I do to help?_

**Headstrong, we're Headstrong  
Headstrong to take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone**

_He's definitely his Father's son…_ Yuki gave Tiril a small smile. _Wind vs. Water, it's worth a try. He said looking at the sun gave him strength. I have an idea… if I can use my fire to power him up, maybe he can… _Yuki broke off as a lightning bolt nearly struck them. He picked Tiril up and flew farther away. But it was no use; they could not escape from the merciless storm or Ichigo.

**I know that you are wrong  
And this is not where you belong**

Yuki could feel Tiril trembling in his arms. _Just great… he's going to freeze to death now. What am I supposed to do? _The demon scowled and swiftly dodged yet another lightning bolt. He was seriously getting tired of the stupid, endless storm. He was soaked to the bone, his ears were ringing from all the loud thunder, and he had white spots in his vision from all the cursed bolts. And if his body was getting this agitated, how much was tiny Tiril suffering?

**I can't give everything away  
I won't give everything away**

_I need to end this now…_ Yuki hastily descended to the ground and laid Tiril down. Sooner or later, _all_ the lightning was going to be aimed at them. There weren't any trees or high objects to deter the bolts from the duo. _Where the hell is Ichigo?_ Yuki flew high in the air and began call upon all of his firepower. 0

**Conclusions manifest  
Your first impressions got to be your very best  
I see you're full of shit and that's alright**

"Did you miss me?" Yuki froze as Ichigo's arms wrapped around his neck and squeezed tightly. "I'm going to rip off every one of your limbs." _I can't wait to make this bastard suffer… Took me long enough to find him. Where's the brat?_

**That's how you play I guess you get through every night  
Well now that's over  
I see your fantasy, you want to make it a reality paved in gold**

_How is he so fast?_ Yuki's mind went into panic mode and his entire body became permeated with gold and blue flames. Ichigo was forced to let go of the demon and that was all the time Tiril needed. A huge green and orange energy ball struck the shocked Ichigo right in his chest. Yuki's body returned to normal and he grasped his throat.

**See inside, inside of our heads, yeah  
Well now that's over  
I see your motives inside, and your decisions to hide**

"Tiril?" Yuki coughed out, letting go of his throat. _How did he summon the strength to do that? _The Fallen Angel rose up to the blonde, grasping onto him. _How did he get here so fast? I just placed him on the ground. _

**Aaargh!  
Back off I'll take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone**

"Don't leave me behind anymore, Yuki." Tiril looked up at Yuki, letting go of him and hovering on his own. "I might be tired, but I'm strong!"

**I know that you are wrong  
Headstrong, we're Headstrong  
Headstrong to take you on**

Yuki smiled gratefully at Tiril and then turned to face Ichigo, who was seething with anger. Ichigo stretched his arms out as far as they could reach and then dove at Tiril, ready to swipe through the boy. Yuki leapt forward and delivered one kick to Ichigo's chest, in the exact same spot where Tiril had hit him.

**Headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong  
And this is not where you belong**

"GET OUT OF MY FUCKING DREAM!" Ichigo screamed out and a blue wave crashed right into Yuki, causing him to flip in the air. Tiril released another energy ball, but Ichigo shirked it and flew even closer to his opponents.

**_Where you belong_**  
**I can't give everything away  
_This is not where you belong_  
I won't give everything away**

Without even looking at each other, Tiril and Yuki attacked Ichigo simultaneously. Ichigo, distracted by the flames attacking his body, had no time to avoid Tiril's energy blast. He screamed in pain and the world around him roared.

**I know, I know all about  
I know, I know all about  
I know, I know all about**

"It's time to end this." Yuki scowled darkly, turning to Tiril. "This whole time, I haven't been giving it my best like you have. We've been here long enough and we will beat Ichigo into submission."

**I know, I know all about your motives inside  
And your decision to hide  
Aaargh!**

The blonde didn't want to hurt someone who looked so much like Shuichi, who practically _was_ Shuichi, or at least a part of him. But maybe… this was a sign, a test of some sort. If the real Shuichi ever got out of control and Yuki had to step up to defeat him, could the blonde raise a hand against him?

**Back off I'll to take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong**

"Hey! I've given an arm and a leg here, and you haven't even broken a sweat!" Tiril mock glared at Yuki, smacking him the back of the head. Ichigo was beyond livid at that point. How dare they joke around in the face of defeat?

**Headstrong, we're Headstrong  
Headstrong to take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone**

"My apologies." Yuki smirked wryly and then turned serious. Ichigo was headed straight for them, like a rocket. "I need you to distract him."

**I know that you are wrong  
And this is not where you belong...**

"Yes, sir!" Tiril cried out unquestioningly, saluting in the middle of the rain. "He-ey, now I can see!" Yuki almost fell over, but he knew that despite the boy's innocence, he truly **_was_** an asset. "I'm gonna keep my hand over my eyes forever!"

**Where you belong  
_This is not where you belong_  
I can't give everything away  
_This is not where you belong_**

Yuki wordlessly soared high into the sky. He heard Ichigo's cry of rage as Tiril prevented the half-demon from moving any further. Once Yuki reached a spot that was far away, he began to concentrate all of his firepower.

**I won't give everything away  
_Where you belong_  
This is not where you belong**

Yuki scrunched his eyes shut and sat Indian-style while floating. Yuki smiled to himself as he felt all four colors swirling around him. The colors (black, silver, gold, and blue) spun around, growing in speed, power, and size.

**I... I... I... I...**

In the back of his mind, he noted that the voice has ceased its song. Maybe, maybe all along, the voice was trying to encourage Yuki to fight against Ichigo. Yuki wanted to open an eye to check on Tiril, but restrained himself.

_How long can he defend himself against Ichigo? I need to hurry…_ The blonde took a deep breath and fed even more of his power to the now raging inferno. It was almost done. He could feel all the immense flames dancing around him wildly. He could hear Tiril and Ichigo drawing nearer and that meant Tiril was getting tired.

_Done._ Yuki opened his eyes and stood up. His inferno ceased twirling around. He could see Ichigo turning to the fire tornado, trying to predict its movements. Then, Ichigo raised his hands above his head and released a tiny bubble that began its ascent towards Yuki.

Tiril zipped higher than the bubble and spread out his entire body, ready to block Yuki if he had to. Ichigo let out a maniacal laugh and the bubble popped. A huge water tornado blew right through Tiril and his blood spurted everywhere. The Angel immediately plummeted to the ground. _Kuso… I can't let that tornado hit mine…_ Yuki wove his hands and an opening appeared in his inferno.

Yuki dove out of his tornado and held his own hands in the air. A beam of red fire shot up high in the air. Yuki moved his hands so that they were straight out in front of him. Likewise, the fire beam followed and stopped the cyclone right in its tracks, overheating it. It was like a laser rapidly boiling the water.

Ichigo's cyclone exploded into a burst of steam and was absorbed by Yuki's red beam. Yuki aimed the beam at his own inferno and watched as the multicolored twister take in all the new energy. The entire inferno turned gold at this addition.

Ichigo skyrocketed at Yuki, lightning bolts striking everywhere. Every bolt that attempted to hit Yuki was taken in by his firestorm. Yuki knew he would have to work quickly. "Tiril!" Yuki shouted out as loud as he could. "TIRIL!" The Fallen Angel feebly materialized into the vicinity. The blonde flew over to Tiril and held him by the waist.

"I'm here…" Tiril whispered faintly. He started shivering again and he was still bleeding.

"Do you trust me?" Yuki asked the boy seriously.

"Of course I do." Tiril gave Yuki a suspicious glance. Yuki instantly threw Tiril inside of his golden inferno. "I DON'T TRUST YOU THAT MUUUUCH!" Tiril was surrounded by gold. It was like being under the sun's complete, unshielded gaze. He could feel his eyes glowing red. He could feel himself transforming, under the extreme heat, the heat of the sun and then everything went black.

The entire world stood deadly still. The rain ceased, the wind slowed, the thunder was silent, and no lightning struck. Ichigo looked around him in shock. It was obvious he wasn't in control anymore. _It worked._ Yuki smirked proudly.

The entire inferno turned from gold to black and the sky itself turned white. Tiril himself rose up from the flames, but he was different. This was the first Tiril, the one that hadn't been condemned to Hell yet.

Tiril still had his shaggy green hair and bright orange eyes, but everything else about him had changed. The Fallen was much taller; he was six feet at the least. His body was no longer scrawny and thin, but toned and muscled in every possible way. Tiril was now wearing a black, long-sleeved cloak, that reached his knees, with the hood resting on his back. A belt made of silver circles outlined in blue slung from the left side of his waist to his right upper thigh.

Tiril's grand, black wings stretched out very far, truly making him look like a Fallen Angel. While the right side of each wing curved outward in one direction, the left sides hooked and curved about in different directions. Tiril's wings had a very distinct shaped due to this. But his wings were thin and looked delicate.

A picture had been embedded onto the back of his cloak: a silver sun with golden ridges surrounding it and a bright purple leaf inside it, all encased by a whirling sky blue tornado. An archaic, symbol had been tattooed onto Tiril's upper chest, below his neckline. (www. great dreams. com / raphael­ sigil . jpg) Lastly, Tiril wore long, black boots with silver buttons going down the side. (A/N: the symbol btw. raphael & sigil is called an "underscore".)

Tiril glared down at Ichigo, as if he were merely a bug to squash. Yuki was completely in shock. _Did I really put that much power into that tornado? I just made him revert back to the way he was before he was sealed away…_ Yuki groaned out loud. _I really overdid it this time… _

"You…" Ichigo narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "So you finally grew up." He grinned maliciously and flew up at Tiril. The Fallen did not move an inch.

"Ichigo, don't do it!" Yuki shouted out. Tiril was at full power now, completely unsealed inside this hellish dream. Did Tiril even **_remember_** who Shuichi was as this point? Ichigo ignored Yuki's warning and flew even faster.

Tiril calmly held a hand up and a tornado materialized out of nowhere. It instantly moved around Ichigo and surrounded him. Ichigo let out a scream as the tornado condensed itself around his body. He was going to be constricted to death by the wind. The once huge twister became an invisible, tight rope.

"Tiril, stop it!" Yuki shouted out, flying towards the two of them. Ichigo began coughing up blood. He could practically feel the merciless wind squeezing his organs and it was getting harder to breathe. "Tiril, listen to me!"

"Why should I listen to you, Prince of Hell?" Tiril answered emotionlessly, continuing his unyielding, but effortless attack on Ichigo.

_There goes the first name basis…_ Yuki inwardly groaned. But then, wait. Yuki's eyes widened and he almost smacked **_himself_** in the back of his head. No matter what happened in Shuichi's dream, nothing would change the fact that when the boy woke up, he would still be in Hell. Hell was Yuki's jurisdiction; he was in control. He was going to inherit the title of Lord Lucifer one day.

"Tiril, did you forget where we are?" Yuki smirked widely. "You're correct; I _am_ the Prince of Hell. I think it'd be in your best interests to obey me."

"Oh?" Tiril raised an eyebrow, an identical smirk on his face. "Why is this?"

"I'll summon Cerberus and he'll eat you. End of story." Yuki watched as Tiril's expression turned reflective. _How could I forget about that mutt? I think some of the brat's stupidity rubbed off on me…_ Tiril lessened his deadly hold on Ichigo, but still kept him captive.

"I see. And what will you do with him once I release him?" Tiril asked, catching Yuki by surprise. "You can't possibly reason with him or use your emotions to soothe him. So what is your course of action?"

The Fallen had a point. It seemed like only brute strength would beat Ichigo into submission; he hadn't uttered a word the entire time. Yuki frowned pensively. "You're right. Keep him there so I can talk to him." The blonde ordered and Tiril simply nodded, staring up blankly into the white sky.

Yuki shook his head and slowly flew up so that he was face-to-face to Ichigo. "It's time for your examination." Yuki snapped out, making the half-demon jump. "You've wasted enough of my time trying to escape the inevitable."

"All you filthy demons do is yell." Ichigo snarled out.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Yuki finally bellowed.

"Demons like you that think you're better than me. Demons like you that abuse me." Ichigo spat in Yuki's face. "Demons like you that make me feel so weak."

* * *

**Well, we're finished here! Next chapter is Chapter 22 (Part 2). Once again, I have no idea what quote I'm using, so you'll have to wait and see. So yea, Ichigo will finally confess his feelings and express himself _without_ trying to kill Yuki. Isn't that a good thing?**

**The above link is just a picture of Tiril's tattoo. Lol it's too weird-looking to describe in words. Just if you wanted to see it. But God I had to edit the stupid link twice! How aggravating is that? But remember... copy and paste the link and then erase the extra spaces btw them. (sigh) Ppl are _still_ telling me the link isn't working, so if you wanna see the link, google this phrase: "archangels great dreams". Click on the first result, it should be this site: "www. greatdreams. com / archangels. htm". The first Archangel listed is Raphael and the symbol that is on Tiril's chest is directly below Raphael's name. Can't miss it lol.  
**

**Btw, this is one of the few times that the complete, adult Tiril will appear in my fic, so savor him while you can. On a completely different subject, I _FINALLY_ saw Memoirs of a Geisha and absolutely _LOVED_ it! Not as much as I loved Pirates, but it's up there.**


	31. Chapter 22 Part 2

**Okay. Hi everyone. Yeah I haven't updated in like weeks, but I have three good reasons. Reason number one: Vacation to Jamaica, one week. Reason number 2: Moved to new house. Had to settle in. Reason # three: I was recently in car accident and my first car has been totaled. I hurt my neck so my Mom didn't want me at the computer for too long. But get this: I got to lie down on the couch and watch TV! **

**Lol another reason I had was writer's block, but it didn't last enough to become a "good reason", so it didn't count. **

**Oki, oki, so this chappy is about Ichigo, Tiril (grown-up, unhappy Tiril), and our oh-so-lovable Yuki. Erm... not sure if you can call a certain scene in this chapter a "heated make-out session", but I'll leave that up to you guys. **

**There are two songs used in this chapter: Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace, The Fight Song (Slipknot Remix) by Marilyn Manson, and When I'm Gone by Three Doors Down. To those of you who are offended by Manson, I apologize, but his lyrics were necessary. Lol... I like the number three...**

**_

* * *

_**

**_CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO (Part 2):_**

"**_Life is a Long Lesson in Humility."_**

* * *

The world around them was tense, ready to teeter at any moment. Tiril sat calmly in the sky, occasionally blinking his eyes. Yuki was frowning thoughtfully, trying to figure out a way to get through to the half-demon. Ichigo glared angrily at the blonde demon floating in front of him.

"Just how long do you plan on keeping me here?" Ichigo finally broke the silence. Tiril showed no signs of even hearing the boy. It was as if his body belonged to the sky and he could pay attention to no one but the blue entity.

"Until you calm down." Yuki snapped out and then went back to thinking. _I'm running out of ideas here…_ The unlikely trio had been hovering in the sky for over an hour now. Absolutely no progress had been made. The demon was seriously regretting entering Shuichi's dream at this point.

Things certainly seemed hopeless enough. Yuki stole a quick look at the impassive Tiril. The Fallen Angel didn't seem to care about the real Shuichi's welfare at the moment. What the hell could he possibly have been thinking about? Up until Yuki had indirectly caused Tiril's transformation, the boy would have given his life for the demon. Now the green-haired man wouldn't even look at him.

Yuki scowled once again and cursed himself for releasing too much of his energy. Yuki was no weak demon; after all, he _was_ the son of the devil. Because of his lack of restraint, he had lost Tiril as an ally. In a sense, the blonde was on his own now. The blonde stared hard at Ichigo.

_I know Shuichi is in there somewhere. _Yuki thought to himself. _I just have to dig him out somehow. Ichigo is here for a reason and I must find out what it is._

"Stop staring at me like you're some kind of stalker." Ichigo sneered at his "captor". "You're a sick person. Are you getting off on my bondage or something?" Yuki growled and smacked Ichigo in the back of the head. "What's next- a whip? Or do you prefer to slap handcuffs on your victims?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Yuki narrowed his eyes. "The only reason you're being held against your will is because you can't control your anger. Belive me-" Yuki gave Ichigo a disgusted look. "I have _no_ interest in you." Ichigo blushed slightly and glared down at the grass below them. "The sooner you start talking about whatever the hell is wrong with you, the sooner Tiril will let you go."

"Why the hell should I tell you about me? You don't give a shit." Ichigo snorted. "You don't know me. I don't know you. And if I do tell you 'whatever the hell is wrong with me', I'll just float on up into the sky and disappear forever inside of the wimp! Why the hell would I sacrifice myself for him?"

"Shuichi is not a wimp." Yuki said darkly, his amber eyes flashing. "And furthermore, you won't disappear forever. Shuichi will utilize you properly. That's what this is all about. You're his Strength and he needs you just as much as he needs his Reason and his Emotion."

"You expect me to believe all that crap? Look, you've wasted enough time. So why don't you just go on back to where you came from-" Ichigo started.

"None of us can leave until all three distortions assimilate into one." Tiril finally spoke, surprising both Yuki and Ichigo. "We will be stuck here for all eternity until you realize the responsibility that was placed upon you."

"That's not my problem! Fine then, I'll stay here." Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Then the real Shuichi will die. He has been taken apart in this dream and if he is not put back together he cannot survive. The barrier around his and my sleeping forms can only last for so long. As soon as it breaks, Horobosu will kill us both." Tiril said simply. "This dream will cease to exist and so will we. All will be lost. No one but Shuichi can prevent the catastrophe."

"What catastrophe? What are you talking about?" Yuki was starting to get annoyed. How come the Angels _always_ knew what was going on?

"Ichigo, you remember how Ramechi came to be? The Hybrid Children?" Tiril stared intently at Ichigo until he nodded slightly. "They are not a threat now, but they will be in the future. There will be a war and Shuichi will lead the side that opposes them. If he dies today, because of you, then you have indirectly caused the annihilation of all three worlds." Yuki's mouth dropped open.

"You must not speak of the future outside of this dream." Tiril turned his sharp gaze on Yuki. "The real Shuichi will not remember, but you will. Do not compromise the future by speaking of it in the past. Do not try to prevent the war."

"I won't." Yuki promised solemnly, his mind racing.

"Now do you understand? You are part of a much bigger picture. The sooner you release your selfishness and do what you were meant to do, the sooner the real Shuichi can wake up and do what he was meant to do." Tiril finished and then looked up at the sky once more, lost in another trance.

Ichigo was quiet for a long time. _If there's going to be a war, then Shuichi does need me. If I am his Strength, he'll need me to fight and protect others._ Ichigo smiled slightly, but Yuki still noticed it.

"All right then, I'll sing some song." Ichigo rolled his eyes, writhing against his invisible hold. "But this is kinda uncomfortable. When will you let me go?" Tiril did not respond and Ichigo scowled. "And if I'm going to sing, I need to be in my element." Tiril actually looked up at this and stared patiently at him.

Ichigo took this as permission to change the world around them, so he did. Before Yuki knew it, he was standing in a sea of demons and monsters of all kinds. They were all roaring loudly, anticipating something. He spotted Tiril floating above him in the air calmly. The sky was a calm, clear blue.

There was a huge, black stage erected before them, complete with huge, black drapes that had been pulled back and up, showing the stage's contents. Two enormous black speakers were set on either side of the stage and two more in the back. Three stands containing microphones were in the front of the stage. A complete drum set was towards the back of the stage and two guitars were hovering not too high in the air, closer to the microphones.

Suddenly, four beings appeared out of nowhere. One of them was Ichigo, but his entire wardrobe had changed. The other three were zombies that looked exactly alike. Two of them went forward and took a guitar and the last one went back and took his seat behind the drums. Yuki was still lost. Neither Sakura nor Shuichi performed like this; as if it was a live concert of some sort.

"What is going on?" Yuki asked out loud.

"Now you see the extent of Ichigo's pride." Yuki had no idea when Tiril had decided to land and stand right behind him. The blonde nearly jumped out of his skin. "He must be loved and adored in order to function. He must be the best at all he does and be better than everyone else."

Without warning, the zombie began playing the drums. Yuki's head snapped up and he stared at Ichigo's new outfit. He was wearing a long-sleeved black corduroy jacket, cuffed with a silver button on either sleeve. The jacket, however, was fitted so that it left his entire abdomen exposed. The jacket had been fastened from top to bottom with silver buttons. There were many pockets covering the jacket, with various silver zippers and chains hooking about.

Now, one of the guitar-playing zombies started. The crowd roared with happiness at the deafening music the combination of the guitars and the drums had created. Personally, Yuki hated it. It reminded him of one of those human concerts where the singer would bite the head off a chicken or something.

Ichigo's pants were simple, but enticing. They were shiny, black leather pants… as tight as can be. A silver chain was hooked onto each side of his waist and hung from either side of the waistband, looped to about mid-thigh and circled back up again. If Ichigo moved, both chains would jingle lightly. He wore simple black sneakers with an encircled, silver "I" on the left side of the left shoe and the right side of the right shoe.

Finally, the last guitar began blasting and Yuki almost covered his ears. The three instruments definitely had some kind of harmony, but Yuki just didn't like this type of music. He quickly turned to Tiril, but upon seeing the Fallen acting as if they were sitting at a restaurant with jazz music playing in the background, he decided not to say anything. He instead turned his gaze back to Ichigo.

To top off his outfit, Ichigo was wearing a black, spiked collar with a pattern of silver spikes and silver circles going all around it. His pink hair had been streaked with black and even his purple eyes looked darker. Yuki stared at Ichigo in awe, mentally taking back his earlier statement: ("I have _no_ interest in you.").

Ichigo noticed Yuki's predatory look and smirked. He gripped the stand in front of him, began tapping his feet the rhythm and began to sing:

**"I can't escape this hell  
So many times I've tried  
But I'm still caged inside  
Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself**

**So what if you can see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal  
(This animal, this animal)**

**I can't escape myself  
(I can't escape myself)  
So many times I've lied  
(So many times I've lied)  
But there's still rage inside  
Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself**

**So what if you can see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal**

**Somebody help me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself  
Somebody wake me from this nightmare  
I can't escape this animal**

**(This animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal)**

**So what if you can see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal  
(This animal I have become)"**

Ichigo finished his song, a look of complete satisfaction on his face as the music died out. The crowd practically screeched with joy after the song was over, some even screaming out for more. Yuki raised an eyebrow at the crowd's reaction, knowing it was all Ichigo's doing. He was more like the personification of a superiority complex than Shuichi's Strength.

Tiril, of course, was completely unfazed by the pandemonium around them. Yuki was just waiting for all the damn noise to stop. Out of all the Shuichis, this one annoyed him the most… without a doubt. If only Ichigo didn't exist. If only he wasn't so insensitive, haughty, and overconfident… and _very_ rude, too.

The scary thing was- Yuki had been told that he was uncaring, arrogant, and impolite. He wasn't sure about the stuck-up part… but hadn't some hooker spat out that word at him after he threw her out? If only Yuki could remember… But that wasn't the point. The point was… Yuki paused in his mental tirade as the drum-bashing zombie actually split into two zombies. The original zombie stayed seated.

Yuki watched in awe as the new zombie immediately stood up and walked forward so that it was in between the drums and Ichigo. The zombie opened its mouth and loud, warning screeching sound came from its mouth. After a few seconds, the drummer began lightly beating the drums, complete in sync with the screech. Then without notice, Ichigo began his second song (without bothering to wait for Yuki and/or Tiril to evaluate him):

**"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Nothing suffocates you more than**

**The passing of everyday human events  
Isolation is the oxygen mask you make  
Your children breath into survive**

**(Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!)**

**But I'm not a slave to a god  
That doesn't exist (Fight! Fight!)  
But I'm not a slave to a world  
That doesn't give a shit (Fight! Fight!)**

**You'll never grow up to be a big-rock-star-celebrated-victim-of-your-fame  
They'll just cut our wrists like  
Cheap coupons and say that death  
Was on sale today**

**And when we were good  
Just closed your eyes  
So when we are bad  
We'll scar your mind**

**But I'm not a slave to a god  
That doesn't exist (Fight! Fight!)  
But I'm not a slave to a world  
That doesn't give a shit (Fight! Fight!)**

**The death of one is a tragedy (We'll scar your mind)  
The death of one is a tragedy (We'll scar your mind)  
The death of one is a tragedy (We'll scar your mind)  
The death of a million is just a statistic!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**But I'm not a slave to a god  
That doesn't exist (Fight! Fight!)  
But I'm not a slave to a world  
That doesn't give a shit (Shit, shit, shit, shit!)**

**But I'm not a slave to a god  
That doesn't exist (Fight! Fight!)  
But I'm not a slave to a world  
That doesn't give a shit (Fight! Fight!)**

**(Fight! Fight!) But I'm not a slave (Fight! Fight!)  
(Fight! Fight!) But I'm not a slave (Fight! Fight!)**

**Yeah, doesn't exist...  
Yeah, doesn't exist...  
Yeah, doesn't exist...  
Yeah, doesn't exist..."**

Yuki was more than slightly annoyed at this particular song choice. In fact, he hated it. He hated how angry Ichigo sounded, how deadly, how… cold. He especially didn't like those screeching and siren-like sounds the new zombie made during the song. It only added to the song's anarchic mood and antagonized the rowdy crowd even more. They made even _more_ noise than before.

The blonde turned his head to look at Tiril and was partly relieved at the disgusted look on the Angel's face. "Enough." Tiril snapped out and the entire crowd vanished at his will. Even the zombies, the instruments, and the stage disappeared, leaving only Ichigo in his black, tantalizing outfit.

The three were now standing in the untarnished field that Yuki had been sitting on before Tiril and Ichigo had reached the demon. Ichigo growled at the loss of his mob, sat down in the fresh, green grass and refused to look at either of them. Yuki forced himself not to roll his eyes as he calmly strolled over to Ichigo and took his seat in front of the half-demon.

"That song was revolting." Tiril narrowed his eyes at Ichigo. "If you ever utter such words in my presence again- I will kill you." Yuki inwardly sighed and turned his head around to give the Angel a warning glance.

"Those songs were more than enough to evaluate you." Yuki felt his forehead. "I think your zombie band gave me a headache." This comment finally sparked a smile from Ichigo, but he quickly hid it behind a scowl.

"Alright then." Ichigo fixed Yuki with his most sultry gaze. "Evaluate me." Seeing Ichigo look at him like that… well the blonde wanted to evaluate him in a different way. But then again Tiril was watching…

Unfortunately, Yuki's sense of reason completely left him at this point. The only thing worth concentrating on was Ichigo's body. So he did what any male would do: he tossed his brain away and obeyed his sex-drive.

Yuki snatched Ichigo's waist and yanked the half-demon towards him, capturing the boy's lips as he did so. Ichigo was so surprised that he opened his mouth and Yuki wasted no time, burying his tongue deep into the depths of Ichigo's mouth. Ichigo moaned into their kiss and wrapped his arms around Yuki's neck, bringing the demon closer to him.

As Yuki investigated every square inch of Ichigo's mouth, he relished in the feeling of Ichigo's exposed skin: Ichigo's stomach, his back… but it wasn't enough. He paused in his touches as he (finally!) felt Ichigo's tongue wrap around his own. Yuki grasped Ichigo around the waist with both hands, lifted him, and placed the boy right in his lap. As soon as their erections touched, they both jumped away from each other and broke the kiss, breathing heavily; purple never leaving gold.

"Are you done satisfying your urges?" Tiril reminded the two that the real Shuichi's life was still in danger.

"No." Ichigo and Yuki said simultaneously, still not looking anywhere else.

"Yuki…" Ichigo reluctantly tore his gaze away from the blonde and stared at the ground instead. He could feel Yuki's passion inside of him. It was like a growing fire, spreading all throughout his body. Ichigo knew then, he _knew_ that Yuki was the one he was meant to be with. There was a reason why their kiss had been so electrifying. In all of his existence, Ichigo had never been so sure of something.

"I… I can't believe it." Ichigo reached up with hands to feel his ravaged lips. It was a different kind of sureness that Ichigo felt; it wasn't a pompous or arrogant certainty… it was simple and pure. And that confidence made Ichigo feel stronger than he had ever felt before. It seemed as if everything he had ever done in his short lifetime had been insignificant and needless.

What was the point of savoring the pain of others? What was the point of pointlessly spilling blood? Why did Ramechi dying make him happy? Why did the misuse of his power not set off any warning bells in his head? Where would there be room to love if all Ichigo could think about was hate? Where would his insanity lead him to, if not his own grave? Ichigo clenched his hands into tight fists. Before he knew it, he was furiously punching away at the earth, not realizing that he was crying until he couldn't see anything.

"Ichigo…" Yuki's gaze softened at the half-demon's despair. Ichigo's body shook with sobs and he all but fell into Yuki's open arms, gripping the blonde's shirt tightly. "Why were you so angry?"

"I got so sick of it… being treated like some helpless, defenseless brat. Either I was too worthless to be respected or I was too weak to protect myself. I want… I want everyone to know that I'm not going to stand for it anymore!" Ichigo broke away from Yuki and wiped his tears away. "I'm not going to be tied up and raped and stabbed and beaten. I'm not going to stand and wait like some docile sheep for someone else to save me. I'm going to take control of my life!

"But then… I let all the anger taint my good intentions. I lost control and let my resentment of the past infiltrate my actions of the future." Ichigo's purple eyes were filled with such vehemence that they were practically glowing. "I _can_ be strong and I _can_ be the best… but I can't do it _alone_. I have so much power… and I have to use it in the right way. I can't be egotistical and use it for my own satisfaction.

"Only when I use my powers in a selfless way will they grow. I have to learn… to be humble." Ichigo stopped talking and awkwardly looked down at his hands. Yuki smiled and ruffled Ichigo's messy hair.

"Brilliant. I must say, I was worried you were never going to learn of your purpose." Tiril nodded his head in approval and made a gesture with his left hand.

"Yeah… it was partly because of Yuki though." Ichigo shrugged and glanced quickly at the demon mentioned. "Well… you showed me what true confidence is." Yuki raised an eyebrow in reply, not sure of how he did such a thing. "Well… I'm going to sing one last song. And don't worry, Tiril- I think you'll like it. Yuki… there won't be a band, so you won't have to worry about your ears."

Ichigo shifted and shuffled so that he was sitting in Yuki's lap once again, but this time, his back was against the demon's chest. Yuki automatically wrapped his arms around Ichigo's waist and pulled him even closer, creating more contact between the two. The half-demon smirked at this and ignored the tiny thoughts in his head urging him to turn around and kiss the blonde.

_If we start again- I don't think we'll stop. _Ichigo snickered to himself. _Oh crap! The song_! The boy finally remembered and began singing acappella:

**"There's another world inside of me  
That you may never see  
There's secrets in this life  
That I can hide  
Somewhere in this darkness  
There's a light that I can't find  
Maybe it's too far away...  
Or maybe I'm just blind...  
Or maybe I'm just blind...**

**So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
Hold me when I'm scared  
And love me when I'm gone  
Everything I am  
And everything in me  
wants to be the one  
You wanted me to be**

**I'll never let you down  
Even if I could**

**I'd give up everything  
If only for your good**

**So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
You can hold me when I'm scared  
You won't always be there  
So love me when I'm gone**

**Love me when I'm gone...**

**When your education x-ray  
Can not see under my skin  
I won't tell you a damn thing  
That I could not tell my friends  
The roaming through this darkness  
I'm alive but I'm alone  
Part of me is fighting this  
But part of me is gone**

**So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
Hold me when I'm scared  
And love me when I'm gone  
Everything I am  
And everything in me  
wants to be the one  
You wanted me to be**

**I'll never let you down  
Even if I could  
I'd give up everything  
If only for your good  
So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
You can hold me when I'm scared  
You won't always be there  
So love me when I'm gone**

**Maybe I'm just blind...**

**So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
Hold me when I'm scared  
And love me when I'm gone  
Everything I am  
And everything in me  
wants to be the one  
You wanted me to be**

**I'll never let you down  
Even if I could  
I'd give up everything  
If only for your good  
So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
You can hold me when I'm scared  
You won't always be there  
So love me when I'm gone  
Love me when I'm gone...**

**Love me when I'm gone  
When I'm Gone**

**When I'm Gone**

**When I'm Gone…"**

Yuki kissed the top of Ichigo's head and released him after he finished. No sooner than he had let go of Ichigo did the young half-demon begin to rise up into the air. Yuki almost stretched out his hand to touch Ichigo once more, but he knew it was fruitless. Tiril gave the blonde a sad smile.

The blue sky above them rumbled and a giant crack revealed itself. The crack opened up, showing its dark, wavy depths as Ichigo rose higher and higher into the air. As soon as the tips of Ichigo's toes were inside the dark gap, the opening the sky slammed shut. Tiril passed out and reverted back to his smaller, sealed form. The sky thundered once again above them and Yuki let out a soft sigh.

* * *

**Hey... okay so that's the end. Next up, Reason, Emotion, and Strength will become one, new and improved Shuichi. Lol we have a special, first time guest appearance in this next chapter and most of you will guess who it is (the name is never revealed). Okay so the _real_ Shuichi and Yuki spend a little time together until Shu's dream ends (on a good note). We'll be back to the real world soon enough!**

**So... was it good? Bad? Do I get cookies? Dudes, I saw Inside Man for the second time. Lol I loves it. I wanna get the soundtrack. **

**And also, you know, I ordered the fourth season of Buffy off eBay and it's been a week and I still haven't gotten it. Does anyone know how long it usually takes? I mean, I know its coming from California, but gimme a break! It's only eight hours away! (sigh) Oki, bye-bye! **


	32. Chapter 23

**Okay first off: Ultra special disclaimer that I probably forgot. Yeah, the quotes used for the chapter names aren't mine. So don't go off thinking I'm some philosopher, cuz I'm not. I put the disclaimer in for Chapter 19, but then forget about the rest of them. But yay! I own the name of Chapter 24: Tiril, the Tour Guide! **

**Ooh yeah, but I don't own Shoots and Ladders. KoRn owns it and they rock! Dudes, I went to the Family Values Tour on September 1st! KoRn, Deftones, DIR EN GREY, Flyleaf, Deadsy, and a few others. Can you say: FREAKIN AMAZING? I shook hands with Shinya (my future husband) and Toshiya. Haha be jealous. Be very jealous. **

**Alright, now that I'm done we can continue. Secondly, I have some dedications to make: **

**AngelofLight-** Lol without you I couldn't have finished this chapter. You found me the lyrics for IT'S. I know it was a while ago, but I like to plan ahead. I finally used them lol. So yea, this is like your chapter. Be proud of it!

**Loveless19- **It was you and only you who took the time to look on my profile and answer my question correctly. Yes, the three personas: Reason, Emotion, and Strength were modeled after Rei Ayanami, Shinji Ikari, and Asuka Langley Sohru. Because Evangelion rocks like that.

**Tsuki Aquarius Hanju-** Lol you my friend, are in a class of your own. You are the only one of my readers who has actually reviewed to **_every_** one of my chapters. Talking to you is fun, although you're kind of crazy. I value you as a reader and a fellow writer.

**Marshmallow- **God, where do I begin? Not only have you provided me with countless outfits (Pay attention people: she's given me like 95.4 of the clothes in this story. She's gonna be famous one day!) but you're always there for me. Jeez you spoil me lol. Plus, I got you hooked on Degrassi. That alone makes me love you a million times more.

**Okay that's done. The songs sung in this chapter are special, b/c they are both sung by Kotani Kinya. And if you're a true Gravi fan, you should know who he is. While Tomokazu Seki is Shuichi's voice actor, Kotani Kinya is his singing voice. The first song is called "Bird" and the second is called "IT'S", which is the second opening theme to Tsubasa Chronicle (a show everyone should be watching lol).**

**This is it people. No more dream. YES! On a random note, we've just about reached the half-way mark of Prediction. I'm not saying there are going to be _EXACTLY_ twenty-three chapters left of the story, but things are going to start falling into place, things that will eventually lead to the end. **

**Yea, that didn't make any sense. Let's try again: Okay, we're halfway done with this story. Much better, right? Without further adieu, I give you Chapter 23. Oh yeah don't forget: If you catch any mistakes, be sure to tell me. Lol I've been working on this chapter for way too long, I might have missed something. **

**

* * *

**

**_CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:_**

"**_Keep True to the Dreams of Thy Youth." _**

**_

* * *

_**

Yuki knew something was going on as soon as the sky began flashing different colors. Tiril lay facedown on the grass, innocently oblivious to all around him. Now that Reason, Emotion, and Strength had been "mended", so to speak, Shuichi's dream was just about over. What would happen to the two of them?

Tiril's eyes flared open-shining red for a nanosecond-as the sky turned blue and gold at the same time. The tiny boy sat up and stared around, as if he was confused. "What happened to the sun?" Tiril looked and looked, but there was no sun in this sky. Yuki chose not to answer him and instead pointed up. "Yeah… the colors sure are pretty… Ooh now it's green!"

Indeed, the sky was now completely… green as the grass they were sitting on. It was quite peculiar and the blonde wondered if this was Shuichi's way-off version of the Apocalypse, considering he was in control of his little "world".

Yuki closed his eyes, feeling a migraine coming on as the sky turned bright yellow. "I wonder… if it turns white… will we go blind?" Tiril cocked his head to one side. "I don't think I wanna be here when this world goes poof."

"Where the hell is-" Yuki began angrily, when the sky turned pitch black. Calm wind, whispering gentle promises, swept through them. Tiril felt oddly comforted and tried to soothe his worrying mind.

"I like the wind…" Tiril sighed and held his hand out as if trying to touch the invisible force. "Do you like the wind, too, Yuki?"

_Great… now he's gone mad_. Yuki rolled his eyes. _And it gets better and better- I can't see a damn thing! _Now usually, demons can see perfectly well in the dark. But this blackness contained a deeper emptiness than typical darkness did. It was as if Yuki and Tiril had been dropped into a black hole where nothing else existed, where the power of visibility had been stolen away from them. "Tiril, can you see anything?" He demanded, listening for _any_ sounds Tiril might be making.

"Nope." Tiril giggled, as if he was happy. "For all we know, we could be in the sky right now. I can't even feel the ground beneath me… and yet, and yet I'm positive that we haven't moved from this spot."

"Have you been possessed **_again_**?" Yuki scowled.

"No." Tiril answered the demon, sounding confused.

"Well then, speak like a child!" Yuki snapped out impatiently. He was annoyed at the fact that he couldn't see anything and that Tiril had apparently lost his mind. Again.

"Now… why does that sound familiar?" Tiril murmured to himself. Then, the thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. "Oh… yes, that's it. 'When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully as I am fully known. So faith'-"

"Would you shut up? What in the seven hells are you blabbing about?" Yuki willed himself to calm down. It wasn't as if he could see Tiril, so he couldn't hit the boy. What was the point?

"You know, it's rude to interrupt someone while they're quoting Scripture." Tiril sounded slightly annoyed. "It's very blasphemous, or so I'm told."

"You were quoting **_WHAT_**?" Yuki finally lost it. "Have you lost your mind? Do you _think_ you're an Angel?"

"Well, it seemed like the right thing to do at the time." Tiril shrugged, not that Yuki could see him. "Don't humans usually do that during times of crisis? Turn to the Bible and proclaim-"

"Tiril. Shut. Up." Yuki was partially glad that it was only Tiril's immature brain that had thought up that ridiculous idea, not some mind-controlling Angel. "Last time I checked, you weren't human either."

"Yeah… but when is Shuichi going to turn the lights back on?" Tiril let out a sigh. "It's kind of scary keeping my eyes open, but I'm afraid that if I close them some big bad monster will come and eat me. And you know, I won't even see it coming! I won't have any chance to defend myself and my spleen will be forever-"

Yuki let out an even louder sigh. "Shuichi, wherever you are… get here fast." He grumbled. "I'm getting sick and tired of this brat."

"How can you be so impolite? And you wonder why it's all dark here. Gee… aren't you dense." Tiril sniffed haughtily.

"Well then, why don't you tell me what's going on, O Great Fallen Angel?" Yuki snarled out mockingly.

"It's that very attitude of yours that-" Tiril broke off. "Okay, I'll tell you. But honestly… next time listen to the wind, Yuki. This darkness, this emptiness represents Sakura. You see, or rather, you _can't_ see anything. Nothing exists here, except us and we don't count because we're not supposed to be here. But Sakura had overcome her… I mean _his_ fear and is now ready fully become Reason.

"So, Sakura is releasing all of the darkness inside of him and is preparing to appear in front of us. Once he does, the darkness will turn to light. Because that's what reason does, right? It leads us to the truth, to the light." Tiril finished. "By the way, if none of that made any sense to you (because I definitely didn't get it) just remember that this is all Shuichi's doing and we can't possibly understand it because he's an imbecile."

"That was the smartest thing you've said since I've arrived here." Yuki nodded his head.

"Thanks. Appreciate it." Tiril sounded genuinely happy and proud of himself. "I am smart, aren't I?"

"Did the wind happen to tell you when Sakura planned on showing his pretty face?" Yuki tried immensely hard to hold back his sarcasm. He failed.

"No. I was going to ask it, but…" Tiril halted as another gust of wind blew through them. "He-ey! You were being sarcastic! And I don't know what that means, but it can't be good!"

Yuki smacked himself in the forehead. "Wait a minute; the wind actually _spoke_ to you?" The blonde asked incredulously. _Raphael… you really are watching over him, aren't you? Trying to be a blessing in-_ Yuki stopped thinking as the sky turned white, making him wish that they were still surrounded by darkness. Then the sky turned blue (thankfully) and Yuki could see clearly once more.

Yuki and Tiril were still sitting on the grass. They hadn't moved at all. "Can you stop with the theatrics and just become whole already?" Yuki shouted out impatiently. Tiril tugged on Yuki's arm and pointed up. The body of Sakura was currently floating in the air above them. Sakura was inside of a protective, white bubble. He was obviously unconscious.

Another breeze passed by and Yuki turned expectantly to the Fallen Angel. "Er… all three of them have their own entrances and they'll all be unconscious." Tiril hastily told the irritated demon.

"So then… I'm going to lose more of my senses? What's next- taste?" Yuki spat out… particularly at no one. As if on cue, the sky began changing colors again.

"Turquoise blue… magic mint… goldenrod… hot magenta… neon carrot… purple pizzazz… electric lime… tickle-me-pink…" Tiril began naming every color the sky turned.

"What kind of absurd colors are those?" Yuki finally interrupted Tiril's color babble. "Do you _ever_ shut up?"

"I guess you're too **_old_** to know what Crayola is." Tiril retorted and crossed his arms over his chest. Yuki's left eye twitched and he punched Tiril in the back of the head. "Owowow- Teal blue!"

At that moment, the heavens turned silver and rain began to fall. Cold, cold rain that began to pierce their skin. Tiril cried out and complained that he was getting cold. Yuki rolled his eyes and pulled Tiril so that the boy was sitting against his chest. Tiril shivered in Yuki's arms as the icy rain fell upon them.

"I feel so numb…" Tiril muttered to the blonde, extremely grateful for his body heat. Yuki told him to shut up, once again. And for once, he did. The two of them were completely silent, even as the bright silver slightly darkened and became gray. Even as more and more torrents of freezing rain fell on them, freezing them.

_Numb…_ Yuki looked down at his arms, which he could barely feel anymore. _I suppose we'll be losing our sense of touch now. How creative._ He tried to tighten his hold on Tiril, but he couldn't move his arms. At all. _Just great. I can't feel my arms and now I can't move them. So now we'll be frozen to death. _Grateful that he could move his eyes, Yuki stole a look at Tiril.

Tiril had ceased his shivering, most likely because he couldn't move. He was beyond soaked and this only added to the chilliness that was around him. Indeed, the tips of his bangs had ice on them.

_Why the hell do we have to suffer just to see Shuichi?_ Yuki was getting extremely pissed off. _This can't possibly be his doing. Shuichi may like drama, but inflicting pain for no reason… no._

As if agreeing with Yuki, a gust passed by them. It was surprisingly warm, like a tropical breeze. Tiril began shivering again and whispered one word: "Horobosu…" Yuki grew even madder at this. "Taking advantage… Shu vulnerable… world vulnerable…"

_How the hell did he get back inside? Kuso…_ Yuki wanted to punch something, but he couldn't even move. _So basically, because all three Shuichis are unconscious, this world is susceptible to beings like Horobosu. This world is more fragile and must be weakening by the second. He must be trying to prevent something._

"Doesn't want… assimilation. Dunno… what that… means." Tiril coughed, shivering violently.

_Wait a minute… if Horobosu's power is similar to Ramechi then this all…_ Yuki let out a loud shout and stood up immediately. The rain continued to fall down on them even harder and harsher, if that was possible. He held up his hands and released a huge tornado of fire above him that shot into the clouds.

The silver sky cracked open and another unconscious, floating body contained in another white bubble emerged from the darkness beyond the sky. Emotion ceased his descent once he was level with Sakura's body. The rain immediately stopped and sky became blue once more.

Tiril shook his head, getting all the excess water off him. "Do you mind if I start naming colors again?" His hopeful, orange eyes gazed up at the demon.

Yuki's left eye twitched, but for some reason, he decided to be nice to the Fallen. "Do as you like." He crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to sit down until Ichigo appeared.

"Wild strawberry… granny smith apple… shadow… macaroni and cheese… razzmatazz… fuzzy wuzzy brown… Caribbean green… banana mania…"

"How can you possibly tell the difference between goldenrod and banana mania?" Yuki finally asked.

"Outer space! It's kinda weird…-antique brass- as each color shows-vivid violet- up, the color's name-inch worm- pops into my-mango tango-brain." Tiril managed to say in between color changes.

"'My mango tango brain'?" Yuki smirked down at Tiril, his smirk actually developing into a real smile. Tiril stuck his tongue out at Yuki and suddenly proclaimed: "Sunset Orange!"

"Blood red? That's not a Crayola color…" Tiril cocked his head to one side. But the sky was definitely red as the blood running through their veins. Yuki's eyes narrowed; Ichigo must've been ready to come out. Thunder promptly crackled in the distance. However, it was very loud thunder, despite the fact that it was far away. It was so alarming that tiny Tiril trembled.

Yuki looked around, trying to figure out what Horobosu had planned for them next. A powerful gust of wind blew through them, nearly knocking Tiril over. "That must've been Horobosu! The wind didn't say anything…" Tiril cocked his head to one side and looked around fearfully.

"It's obvious that whatever is about to occur is going to be exceedingly violent." Yuki inwardly sighed. This was the longest dream ever and he was just about tired of it all. More thunder boomed and it sounded like a tremor. The next "breeze", felt like a precursor to a tornado.

"The wind shrieks. The thunder roars." Tiril whispered dramatically and consequently got smacked in the back of the head again. "You know, Shuichi's going to get you for hitting me so many times once we get out of here."

Yuki started to look annoyed and then thought about Tiril's words. _That's right. No matter what, we're going to get out of here. There is no doubt in my mind and there is no doubt in Tiril's either. We will conquer whatever foolishness Horobosu thinks up_. The blonde smiled down gratefully at the boy and ruffled his hair. _And to imagine, I almost forgot that because of some noise._

"You're creepy." Tiril crinkled his forehead in concentration. He then squealed as a blast of wind blew him back several feet. Yuki rolled his eyes.

Another boom of thunder sounded and this time, Yuki _did_ feel the ground underneath them shaking. The wind howled about them and the demon was forced to hold onto Tiril, or else he would've lost the Fallen. The noise was so loud Yuki could barely hear himself think. Tiril was terrified again and started whimpering in Yuki's arms.

_I need to get Ichigo so I can get this off me_. Yuki wrinkled his nose in discomfort as he looked down at Tiril.

"I don't like this…" Tiril mumbled into Yuki's shirt. The earth shook again and Yuki was sure that the thunder had progressed into tremors. Either way, it was hard to distinguish noise from more noise. His ears were ringing at this point and the high-pitched "shrieks" of the wind were certainly not helping.

_I've been blinded, paralyzed, and now I'm being deafened. When I get out of this hellhole I am going to smack that baka._ Yuki cursed repeatedly in his mind. Tiril let out a scream as the wind shifted Yuki slightly. _Okay, time to erect a barrier before he does go mad._

Yuki sat down on the ground, despite the fact that it could have opened up beneath him at any given moment. Tiril squirmed about in his arms until the blonde punched him yet again- but gently this time. The demon swiftly let go of Tiril, made some quick signals with his hands and up went the circular, transparent barrier.

Tiril let out a sigh of relief and scrambled out of Yuki's lap. "Now why didn't you do that-EEE!" Tiril let out another shriek and jumped as an actual tornado smacked against Yuki's barrier. He practically flew right back into Yuki's lap.

"If I knew you were such a scaredy cat, I would've let Ichigo kill you." Yuki rolled his eyes, but didn't move the boy. Tiril sniffled and Yuki felt a tad guilty, so he kept his mouth shut. Three more tornadoes struck Yuki's barrier.

_Okay, so that wasn't the best thing to say to a small child. Besides, he's a lot braver than other kids his age. Wait… did being sealed away even take years off his life? Or did he get older?_ Yuki shook his head as the earth rumbled and rolled beneath them. _The point was- the kid had been awake for only two weeks, not to mention without any memories. The kid is basically a newborn in a child's body- **DAMMIT** why can't this noise just END!_ Yuki scowled darkly.

And then, the oddest thing happened. It did. Everything was completely still, frozen. Tiril instinctively looked up and grinned happily. Yuki lifted his head and a tiny, relieved smile appeared on his lips. The unconscious body of Ichigo was floating in yet another white bubble.

_Finally… yes, yes- this is it._ Yuki stood up in anticipation and Tiril followed suit. The three bodies glowed white and the bubbles disintegrated into the air. This was a slightly eerie sight, because the sky was still blood red. The three glowing bodies became one and the whiteness spread out everywhere.

The blinding whiteness was so intense that Yuki had to close his eyes. He could feel everything in the world around him falling apart. He could feel the very fabric of the world changing, shifting all over. Things were being put into place.

The blonde grasped onto Tiril and refused to let go of the boy. Both of their bodies were moving somewhere-fast. It was as if they were flying through nothingness, a world that had not been created yet, but was about to come into being.

Although Yuki tried his hardest to hold onto Tiril, the Fallen somehow got away from him. He felt himself land on something hard and finally opened his eyes. It was as if he was standing alone in outer space, nothing but darkness and tiny, different colored lights as far as he could see.

"YUUUUUUUUKI!" Yuki never thought he'd be that happy to hear his name butchered like that. The blonde demon whirled around and there stood Shuichi in all his glory. Now Yuki knew why he was so desperately in love with the younger half-demon.

Yuki absolutely loved how Shuichi's sparkled with joy, he loved that bright smile that would light up the boy's face and most of all- he loved Shuichi's heart. Shuichi was finally whole again. Yuki could see the shadows of Reason, Emotion, and Strength, implicitly hidden inside of the boy.

As he stood there in a pair of perfectly fitted, dark blue jeans that hugged him perfectly, Shuichi gazed up at Yuki with such warmth in his eyes. The sweater that Shuichi wore was made of the finest cashmere and striped with black and pink. The sleeves were long and hid Shuichi's delicate hands.

The next thing Yuki knew, Shuichi ran to him and the blonde's arms were full of the exuberant joy that the singer let off. Shuichi wrapped his white, conversed clad feet around Yuki's waist and held onto him for dear life. The hugest smile was plastered on his face.

Yuki could not help but give his own smile in return and he took in the wonderful smell that was Shuichi: Strawberries. That was what Shuichi smelled like. Yuki buried his nose in Shuichi's pink mane and squeezed back. Glad to finally have his baka back.

As Yuki and Shuichi gently pulled away from each other, an invisible force ripped them out of each other's arms-_not_ what they had first intended. A look of pure shock appeared on Yuki's face- he could not bear to lose Shuichi so soon. But it was apparent that he was going to… or was he?

Yuki's golden eyes locked with Shuichi's amethyst ones as their bodies moved in opposite directions. A flash of blinding, white lightning struck the spot where they once stood and Yuki impulsively closed his eyes.

The demon opened them and was shocked yet again. In the millisecond that his eyes had been closed and entirely new world had been created. Yuki was in the midst of a bunch of girls and boys singing vociferously. He thought he saw a glimpse of green hair somewhere, but the crowd was moving and jostling everyone around. Yuki was inside of a huge dome that was being held up by large stone pillars.

The scene reminded him of one of Nittle Grasper's concerts back in the day. Yuki wasn't even paying attention to the band playing below him. He was still looking around for Tiril, but he couldn't find the boy anywhere. He finally concentrated on the stage. The lead singer was a male with long dreadlocks. It appeared that the band on stage was just about finishing their song:

**"Ring around the rosies  
Pocket full of posies  
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down**

**Nursery rhymes are said, verses in my head  
Into my childhood they're spoon-fed  
Hidden violence revealed, darkness that seems real  
Look at the pages that cause all this evil **

**Nick knack paddy whack, give a dog a bone**

**Nick knack paddy whack, give a dog a bone**

**Nick knack paddy whack, give a dog a bone**

**Nick knack paddy whack, give a dog a-"**

"That was KoRn with 'Shoots and Ladders'! Let's give it up for them!" Yuki's jaw dropped. It was Tiril! The little hyper bugger was jumping around on the stage, shouting into a microphone as the band members left the stage. The crowd screamed loudly. "Next up: BAD LUUUUUCK!"

_What kind of stupid name is that for a band? _Yuki rolled his eyes as zombies that seemingly appeared out of nowhere began clearing off the stage and putting new instruments and such on. _Where the hell is Shuichi? Why am I still here? And when… will this fucking dream END?_ The demon curiously noted the keyboard that was placed onto the stage. _Is Tohma part of the bad?_

Yuki watched in awe as Lord Hiroshi Nakano himself stalked out onto the stage. He was holding a guitar that was as red as his hair. The girls began screaming as he strummed the guitar. The blonde could not believe what he was seeing: a demon lord prancing on stage holding a guitar. _Wait a minute... if Hiroshi is here then-_ Yuki broke off as his suspicious were confirmed.

Shuichi darted out onto the stage, wearing the outfit Yuki had just seen him in. Now the girls and boys were yelling and shouting. Tiril gracefully handed the half-demon the microphone. "HELLO EVERYONE!" Shuichi shouted joyously and the crowd echoed him. Yuki rolled his eyes; only Shuichi could be so obnoxious and yet look so cute.

Finally, the third and final member calmly strolled onto the stage and took his place behind the keyboard. His face was shrouded with darkness, but Yuki saw the green hair and immediately looked around for Tiril. He finally spotted the Fallen flying around above all their heads. Satisfied that the third was not Tiril, he turned back to the mysterious male.

Yuki could barely see the male, but the keyboardist carried himself with poise and style, much like Tohma. He stood coolly as Shuichi flounced about the stage, shouting about nonsense. _Who is he?_ Yuki narrowed his eyes and wished his vision was better.

"This song is called 'Bird'!" Shuichi announced happily and the fans screamed in response. This must've been an old favorite or a new hit. Personally, Yuki didn't care. But what shocked him the most was when Shuichi looked straight at him. His purple eyes were locked onto Yuki's body.

_How did he find me in this crowd?_ Yuki looked around as, but Shuichi's eyes were still fixed on him. _I have to hand it to the brat. He's good._ The keyboardist began playing a very catchy tune that some fans began dancing to.

Shuichi smiled slightly, as if he had heard Yuki's thoughts, winked straight at the demon and began his song:

**"Ikanaide! sakendemo ano sora e tobu yasei no tori.**

**Never say goodbye shinayaka na sono tsubasa yuuki ni akaku somete.**

**tada ate mo naku jiyuu wo motome mada shiranu basho e to.**

**kono rakuen wo deteyuku no nara kojimetai yo.**

**omoidashite kindan no amai kajitsu wo.**

**kin-iro no torikago ni ima mo nao aru no ni.**

**Ikanaide! kono mune wa tsumi bukai yume mite shimau yo.**

**Never say goodbye sono hane wo kiri totte makka ni nurasu yume wo.**

**kanashige na me de naze mitsumerun da? nandomo furimuite**

**mouichido dake dakishimetai to negatte shimau.**

**omoidasu yo hisoyaka na mori no oku de.**

**kono yubi de sotto tsubasa ni fureta ano toki.**

**Itte kure! ima ore ga samishisa ni chi wo nagashitetemo.**

**Never say goodbye tobu koto wo kimeta nara mae dake muita mama.**

**Ikanaide! sakendemo ano sora e tobu yasei no tori.**

**Never say goodbye shinayaka na sono tsubasa yuuki ni akaku somete.**

**Itte kure! kono omoi me wo tojite sora e to suteru sa.**

**Never say goodbye itsu no hi ka aeru darou haruka na umi wo koe.**

**Ikanaide! sakendemo ano sora e tobu yasei no tori.**

**Never say goodbye shinayaka na sono tsubasa yuuki ni akaku somete."**

Shuichi closed his note and gripped the microphone as Hiroshi and the enigmatic keyboardist finished the song. Yuki was impressed; the song was actually good. Shuichi's vocals were amazing-as always, but Hiroshi was notable on his guitar. And the third member- his skills rivaled both Tohma and Noriko.

"This next song… is for someone very special to me. So because of it, I'm going to sing the song without these guys." Shuichi looked back at his band mates lovingly. "These guys are great, but until they find true love, they can't contribute the same level of intensity that I will."

Hiroshi and the green-haired male promptly left the stage, leaving the audience shocked. Shuichi turned back to his fans and his eyes found Yuki's once more. Tiril flew back onto the stage and did a few flips.

Some zombies scurried around, doing their respected jobs. One gave Shuichi a water bottle, another two carried the keyboard back, and the last one picked Tiril up by his waist. Three more zombies appeared in the on the stage, holding a drum set. They set it on the ground. The zombie holding Tiril placed him on the metal circular seat behind the drums.

_Are you kidding me?_ Yuki stared blankly as Tiril began practicing at the drums, bashing and bashing away. However, the next thing that happened almost turned a strand of his hair gray: Apollyon himself teleported a few feet away from Tiril, holding a silver and black guitar. _Someone please get me out of here…_

"This song is for you, Yuki!" Shuichi shouted out, pointing straight at him. Everyone began looking around, hoping to find Yuki, but the demon didn't let any reaction show on his face.

Apollyon began playing the guitar and a few seconds later, Tiril began bashing away, but not wildly to Yuki's surprise. The two Angels actually sounded good together, but nothing compared to how amazing the song sounded when Shuichi started singing:

**"Mou modoranai ano hibi ni ima chikau kanashimi ni uchikatsu koto  
Mukizu no mama koerarenai kimi ni mata deau tame no tabi wa  
Ashiato mo moetsukite**

**Kimi ga itsuka oshiete kureta kokoro no yakudou ga karitateru  
mirai made wa ubawaretenai sore wo shitteru kara ikeru**

**Just go on!**

**Kimi ga hohoemu nara kimi ga utaeru no nara  
ore ga nozomu subete ni kaeru wow wow  
Kimi ga kureta yuuki kimi ga kureta yasashisa  
Mae wo mitsumete aruku chikara ni naru**

**Tsuyoku kage ga ochiru nara sono mukou tsuyoi hikari ga aru kara  
Mada hashireru mada tateru mou ichido nakushikaketa kimi no  
kimi rashisa torimodosu**

**Ano hi egao ga kaete kureta tozasareta kokoro wo tokihanachi  
Tada sore dake wo mune ni dakeba donna kurushimi demo koeru**

**Let to fight!**

**Kimi ga utsumuku nara kimi ga tachitsukusu nara  
ore ga mamoru subete ni kaete wow wow  
Kimi ga kureta kokoro hito wo ai suru tsuyosa  
yami ni fumidasu kagayaki e to kawaru**

**Mirai made wa ubawaretenai sore wo shitteru kara ikeru**

**Just go on!**

**Kimi ga hohoemu nara kimi ga utaeru no nara  
ore ga nozomu subete ni kaeru wow wow  
Kimi ga kureta yuuki kimi ga kureta yasashisa  
Mae wo mitsumete**

**Let to fight!**

**Kimi ga utsumuku nara kimi ga tachitsukusu nara  
ore ga mamoru subete ni kaete wow wow  
Kimi ga kureta kokoro hito wo ai suru tsuyosa  
yami ni fumidasu kagayaki e to kawaru"**

Shuichi finish the song and blew Yuki a giant kiss. "That's all she wrote, folks! The show's finished! Go on home!" Tiril snatched the microphone away from the vocalist. He then stared at Yuki. "You've all been great! Supporting Shuichi, believing in Shuichi, and helping him to the bitter end. You're greatly appreciated and you will never be forgotten. It's been a long, hard day, but we all got through it. Now… it's time to return home."

Yuki smiled back at Tiril and then felt something grip him. Hard. He felt himself falling, falling far, far away, but not before he heard Shuichi scream out: "I LOVE YOU YUKI!" Darkness surrounded the demon, but he remembered Shuichi. He remembered the love of his life.

**

* * *

**

"I love you too…" Yuki mumbled and rolled over.

"I think he's waking up!" Yuki heard someone shouting. "YUKI CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT'S YOUR BROTHER!"

"Shut up, you annoying twit." The blonde groaned out loud and opened his amber eyes. He saw Tatsuha sitting next to him with the most worried expression on his face. Ryuichi was calmly lying on his other side, while Crimson, Reiko, and Saki were sitting in front of him.

"It's about time. C'mon, Saki, it's time you learned-" Crimson got up and yanked Saki by her purple hair, earning a scream from the girl. Reiko gave Yuki an apologetic smile and got up after the two of them.

"You were asleep for a long time." Ryuichi finally broke the silence. "Anything interesting happen?" Yuki sat up and gazed up at the sky.

"You have no idea." The demon smirked wryly. _Good luck, Shuichi._

**

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**Yay! It's done! Hope you all liked it and loved it and... my Buffy came a while ago! Dude... FAITH AND BUFFY SWITCH BODIES! Lol I'm on that episode now. "Five by five." Yes, I'm crazy! Okay, I'm calm now.**

**Like I said earlier (just in case some of you forgot) the next chapter is called: Tiril, the Tour Guide. We get to see cute, little Tiril (lol he's the star in this fic, not Shuichi) lead Shuichi around the desert. Will they find the valley? Will they find Apollyon? Will Tiril _remember_ to tell Shuichi about Apollyon's situation? **

**You'll find out... when I have time to write. Dude... I'M A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL NOW! I can kill freshman in my school! Lol can someone tutor me in pre-calc? Hope everyone's school year is going well! Bye-bye!**


	33. Chapter 24: Tiril, the Tour Guide

**Heeey everyone! Lol you're all like... "Who is she?" "I've never heard of this fic before!" because I haven't updated in like a month. For that I'm really, really sorry. But my senior year has been kind of demanding so far. It better get easier by January lol.**

**So in this chapter, we've got Tiril & Shuichi traveling about in the desert. What's going to happen? Read it and find out! Lol and as always, let me know if I've made any mistakes. And wow I caught a big one while editing. **

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**_CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: _**

**_TIRIL, THE TOUR GUIDE _**

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_**

"_I am so alone, so very alone. I want you to see me, but you do not. For I am invisible and no one knows about me. I do not know where I am or where I am going. I can only hope that my words someday reach you, wherever you are._

"_I look for you, in the sunlight, in the twilight, in the moonlight. My gaze never falters. No matter how many times I am torn away from existence, I will keep trying. I will become real. One day, you will see me with open, unaltered eyes. _

"_I will remember you as the one that gave me hope, the one that tried to take my sweet, manipulative oblivion away. You suffered ignominy and persecution because you did not see me as hollow. I will remember you always._

"_I shall remain here, as I always do. I cannot run from the very darkness that conceived me. One day, my words will reach you… one day, one fateful day." _

Shindou Shuichi stirred and slowly woke up, a frown on his face and a rumble in his stomach. He sat up, contemplating the words that were whirling around in his skull. Those words, that voice… neither of them belonged to him.

Shuichi turned and saw that Tiril was still sleeping soundly. _Who was that?_ The half-demon crossed his arms over his chest and thought hard. He couldn't understand why those words touched him so much.

Shuichi could feel that there was something different about him. He didn't know what happened, but he felt stronger, more confident, and problems that used to plague his soul had now cleared away. So he forgot about those stirring words and concentrated more on himself.

Shuichi grinned and shook Tiril awake. "AYA!" The Fallen Angel sat up rapidly, whipping his green head about. "You scared me! Why'd you do that?" Tiril's eyes widened at the happy expression on Shuichi's face. "Did you have a good sleep?" _Tee hee hee, thanks to Yuki and me, you did._

"The best sleep in Hell!" Shuichi chirped gleefully. "Not that I know why…"

Yes, that was odd. Shuichi had woken up feeling his absolute best and he had no idea why. But why dwell on the unknown? As if the reason he woke up happy was actually significant... So he brushed the questions off and looked down at himself. He felt unclean, remembering how he slaughtered Ramechi.

"I need to change my clothes..." Shuichi stood up and pulled on his dress. _I feel like Ramechi's blood is still there. But I can't dwell on my mistakes._

"Use this." Tiril yanked at the blue brooch that held up part of Shuichi's dress. He tugged relentlessly until the strings of the dress came off with the brooch. Ignoring Shuichi's cries of protest, Tiril pulled the brooch towards him until the brooch glowed. He then let go of the brooch and it snapped back rapidly, striking Shuichi in the hip.

"Ow!" Shuichi looked down at the glowing brooch and watched in amazement as the clothes on his body began shining as well. He could feel the dress changing while it was still on him. Finally, the light went away and Shuichi was wearing a _different_ outfit.

_A cashmere sweater?_ Shuichi looked down at his simple, but cute attire: dark blue jeans, a black and pink striped, long-sleeved sweater and white converse. Nostalgia struck his heart, but at this point, Shuichi was used to having weird feelings and disregarded it.

The blue brooch was hovering in the air proudly. "You see! It's magic. This brooch is supposed to give you clothes." Tiril proclaimed pointing to his own brooch, which was on top of the barrier that had miraculously survived the night. It had moved from the ground sometime during the night. "Just like mine is for protection."

Shuichi held his left hand out and the blue brooch floated over to him. The flower head of the lily fell from the back of his ear. Shuichi watched in amazement as the flower assimilated the magic brooch. The throat of the flower turned dark blue. The flower then returned to its proper place behind Shuichi's ear.

Tiril held his tiny hands up and his own chained, black brooch fell down into his hands. The barrier around them shattered. As if acknowledging this, a strong wind blew through them at that moment, a wind that could not have hit them had the barrier been up. Shuichi realized how hot the desert sun actually was.

Tiril put his hands over his eyebrows and mumbled something about how a barrier was completely useless if it couldn't move. "So… where to?" Shuichi tapped the Fallen on his tiny shoulder. "Do you remember where to go?"

"It's too hot to think." Tiril whined and let out a sigh. "It's so hot." Indeed, the barrier had protected them from the intensity of the sun. While protected, it had been easy to forget that they were actually in the desert. Unfortunately, they had been reminded rather quickly.

Rolling his eyes, Shuichi cupped his hands and formed some water in them. Tiril greedily licked his lips and slurped the water out of Shuichi's hands. After Tiril had his fill, Shuichi drank quickly, wiped his mouth, and looked around him. Nothing but desert for miles around. He had no idea where to go. And he still had to find Apollyon; wherever he was…

"Hmm… which way is out?" Tiril asked himself, turning his head around. He pointed to their far left. "That's the way, Shuichi! Let's go!"

"Are you _sure_?" Shuichi asked seriously. "I need you to be positive."

"Positive as a proton." Tiril grinned widely and skipped out in the designated direction. Shuichi shook his head, but followed the boy all the same. It wasn't like he had anything to lose.

* * *

Four hours later, Shuichi was more than slightly annoyed. It was bad enough that Tiril had to stop every half-hour for a "drink break", as well as listen to every one of Tiril's complaints. Plus, when he wasn't complaining, he asked Shuichi about the weirdest things! What did fear of octopuses have to do with anything?

"Now then… you don't mind being in dark caves do you? Since you're not afraid of octopuses, you wouldn't mind being in a dark cave with those octopuses that you aren't afraid of, right?" Tiril was babbling on and on. Shuichi was ready to pull his hair out. "By the way, do you like mazes?"

"TIRIL!" Shuichi shouted uncontrollably, stomping on the ground. "Why are you asking me all of this? Octopuses, caves, mazes? WHO CARES?"

Tiril pouted and his eyes filled with tears. "I just wanted to learn more about you…" Shuichi felt like someone cracked the whip of guilt over his back.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'm just kind of tired of walking around in this stupid desert." Shuichi sighed out loud. "I didn't mean to take it out on you." The duo resumed their long trudge through the desert.

"That's okay. According to Mary, I was my Mom's scapegoat, too. She hated me." Tiril said casually. "Mary told me lots of stuff when Raphael wasn't around." This did nothing to decrease Shuichi's guilt. And yet, he wondered: Was it Tiril's mother that got him banished from Heaven? Was she to blame for his condition?

"What else did Mary tell you?" Shuichi asked curiously.

"You see, I'm not sure if what she told me was all lies or not. So it's best not to repeat it." Tiril looked down at the bright sand below him.

"Did she tell you anything _good_? Anything that made you happy?" Shuichi goaded Tiril gently. _Jeez… Way to suck the hope out of his life, Mary._

"Well… she did say that my father is a famous Archangel. And unlike my Mom, he loved me a whole lot!" Tiril blurted out, a wide grin on his face. "That sure made me happy!" _But she wouldn't tell me who my Daddy is…_

"I'm sure it did." Shuichi ruffled Tiril's green head. The two continued on in comfortable silence, until Tiril asked the half-demon yet another question:

"How did you meet that snake?" Tiril blinked, cocking his head to one side.

"I was singing and he came up from underground…" Shuichi wanted to smack himself in the forehead. "Why didn't I think of that before?" _If I sing loudly enough, maybe someone else will hear me… just like Ramechi. But hopefully the next being that finds me is sane… and not gay, preferably. _

"Are we taking a break?" Tiril asked eagerly as Shuichi sat down in the sand. The Fallen instantly threw himself on the ground. Shuichi opened his mouth to sing… and let out a shrill scream as the ground under them began caving in. Shuichi and Tiril were dropping down into the darkness, the sand falling about them. Finally, they both landed on something hard.

Groping about in the darkness, Shuichi softly called out for Tiril. "I think we're in front of a house." Tiril answered Shuichi, making no attempt to lower his voice. The half-demon stood up and looked around him. He saw a two-story house with a wooden porch attached to the front standing about six hundred feet away.

Light shone through the windows of the house, providing Shuichi and Tiril sight. The two stumbled about in the darkness towards the house, their new sanctuary. "I wonder how we're going to get back up." Tiril looked up into the shadows. "Is the Forsaken Desert just a giant hole covered with sand?"

"Who knows?" Tiril's imaginative theory didn't sound too implausible at this point. Shuichi blinked as he heard music and voices coming from the mysterious house. He could barely tell what was on the outside of the house because it was so dark. Apparently, the inside of the house was bright and cheery.

Shuichi ran up the porch steps and stopped in front of the door. Shuichi turned and made sure Tiril was next to him. He then turned the doorknob and opened the door. The contents of the house shocked the both of them:

It was as though a party was going on. Despite the outside of the house appearing tiny, a large room stretched out before them. Also, there were no stairs in sight, although Shuichi had seen a window high up above the door. Was there a hidden staircase somewhere?

Beings of all kinds flocked about the party room, talking excitedly. There was a long, wooden table lying against the far left wall that was covered in food. The wall farthest away from Shuichi and Tiril was a mini-bar, complete with stools, drunken demons, and chatty bartenders. The middle of the room was littered with circular tables, most of them occupied. The wall on the left was covered with swirls of gold and red. A large painting of a black rabbit in a field had been put up.

There was classy jazz music playing the background and every guest was dressed appropriately. Needless to say, Shuichi and Tiril received some stares as they walked towards the table. Food always came first, of course.

_I think I have an addiction to crashing parties…_ Shuichi thought to himself. _I hope I'm not ruining another birthday._ He and Tiril took their places in line, glancing in anticipation at the food ahead of them. They moved along the buffet line, piling food on top of their plates.

Shuichi and Tiril stood at the end of the table, looking for an empty table. Tiril spotted one first and scurried over quickly before someone else could get it. The table was conveniently close to the buffet table.

After completely stuffing himself, Shuichi began looking around the room. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially the beings glued to the bar. Indeed, they were the loudest out of everyone. Shuichi didn't see any birthday cake anywhere, so it probably wasn't a birthday party. As Shuichi turned his body around, he caught sight of one girl who was sitting alone at the table behind him.

Shuichi couldn't put his finger on it, but the girl looked familiar to him. _Maybe I meet her back when I was alive…_ Shuichi shrugged and was about to turn back around, but the girl looked up and stared straight at him.

Shuichi froze. The girl had shoulder-length, black hair with silver highlights and long, curved bangs that covered one eye. However, her visible eye was purple. Her gaze was so intense and insightful that he couldn't look away. And yet, Shuichi felt some kind of connection to the girl. He didn't know who she was, where she came from, and he would probably never find out.

"Having a staring contest?" Tiril cocked his head to one side and shifted so he could see who Shuichi was staring at. "Wow… she's pretty."

Tiril's comment broke Shuichi's concentration. Apparently, it broke the girl's too, because she giggled and shook her head. The girl stood up, dragged her empty chair over and sat down right next to Shuichi.

"Suzu." The girl, Suzu, held her hand out to Shuichi. "Or at least, that's what they call me nowadays."

"Shuichi." Shuichi said immediately, and regretted it just as fast. _I shouldn't have told her my real name… How could I be so stupid?_

"I'm Tiril!" Tiril chirped and grinned widely. "And I remember you! You were at Alysia's party last night." The girl's mouth dropped open. "Yup, you were the one playing Dynasty Warriors in the arcade. You were killing everyone using the girl with the black pigtails and the really cool fans." Tiril gestured in the air wildly as he babbled, swiping in the air with his hands.

Half the beings in the room turned to the three of them. Suzu blushed and glared at Tiril. Shuichi was lost. But, the crowd's interest in them quickly died out and everyone returned to their business. Suzu then leaned across the table and smacked Tiril in the back of the head.

"Hey!" Tiril whined and held his head.

"Why'd you do that?" Shuichi shouted angrily.

"Oh please. As if it actually hurt." Suzu crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Tiril. "And who do you think you are, proclaiming my whereabouts to the entire party? Do you even _know_ what happened last night?"

"Huh?" Tiril cocked his head to one side. "Oh yeah…" His eyes widened.

"Exactly! They've got demons looking around for the murderer. And I don't feel like being falsely accused." Suzu rolled her eyes. "I left early anyways."

"I remember you now!" Shuichi stood up and pointed at Suzu. Once again, half the crowd turned to them. _Oops…_ While he still had the crowd's attention, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind: "You stole my applesauce!" Satisfied with his words, the party resumed once again.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Suzu groaned out loud. "Do I need to smack you, too?" She covered her face with her hands.

"You don't need to smack anyone." Shuichi frowned, speaking quietly. "And you're the girl that I met before the party. The one that grabbed onto me and flew me inside." Tiril let out a loud, dramatic gasp.

"Yup, that was me." Suzu grinned widely. "I like flying. Plus, you can't fly so I decided to help you out."

"That was nice of you." Tiril giggled, but Shuichi froze yet again.

"How did you know I can't fly?" Shuichi asked suspiciously. "I've never met you before. Who are you?"

"When you get to be as experienced as me, you can sort of tell what beings are like just by looking at them." Suzu shrugged. "You're fairly young to be dead, not a day older than twenty. You're a half-demon, because you don't walk with the same confidence as a demon. You're probably patient and compassionate, because you've got a little kid with you. And when I first met you, I knew you couldn't fly because you look like a jumper to me. Especially with that pink hair. Makes you look energetic. Jumpy, if you will."

"And you're _very_ observant." Shuichi raised his eyebrows. "Are you psychic or something? Is that your ability?"

"No… I'm just a descendent of a very old, demonic family. Wisdom tends to be passed down from generation to generation." Suzu smiled sadly. "I also happen to be very empathic. To an extreme, I guess."

"What's wrong?" Tiril cocked his head to one side.

"I kind of miss my family." Suzu let out a sigh. "You see as part of my training, I have to survive out here by myself. But I've never spent this much time away from them. To make matters worse, I don't know when I can go back."

"Really? Wow, that's kinda harsh." Shuichi felt bad for Suzu. The three of them fell into a somewhat awkward silence, until…

"Hey, hey! Can you analyze me?" Tiril asked eagerly.

"Er… okay." Suzu blinked and looked Tiril over for a few seconds. "You're… okay, wow, you shouldn't be out here in the open. Are you crazy?" Suzu hissed at Shuichi. "Do you know how many demons would love to sell him as a slave? Are you really _that_ irresponsible?"

"What are you talking about?" Shuichi scowled at Suzu. "How am I irresponsible?" _What is she talking about? I'm not… okay maybe she has a-_

"You've got a-_Fallen Angel_-inside a room full of demons." Suzu continued on, quietly. "You _do_ know how much demons hate Angels, right?"

"Of course I do." Shuichi whispered back, looking around as if trying to spot a conniving demon. "But we were hungry and tired and…" _Then again, how the heck did we find this place? What is this place?_

_Funny… something tells me I've forgotten something… But I can't remember what I've forgotten._ Tiril put his finger on his chin. _Oh well… If I can't remember, then it can't be all that important…_

"Dude, did you hear about what happened with the Angel of Hell?" Suzu whispered conspiratorially. "I wonder if negotiations have started yet…"

_Did she just use the word "dude"?_ Shuichi raised his eyebrows. _WAIT A MINUTE… APOLLYON?_ "Tell me, tell me!" He said hurriedly.

_Hmm… I wonder what she's talking about…_ Tiril blinked. _I have a feeling I'm supposed to know… Ooh, I can almost recall it…_

"He's been captured by the-" Suzu started.

"Octo-Dynasty!" Tiril stood up and banged his tiny fists on the table. Suzu raised an eyebrow at him in surprise. Shuichi's mouth dropped open. "The OD consists of eighty-eight demons: eighty soldiers, seven lieutenants, and their leader, Sasayaku.

"Their fortress is hidden under a lake mirage that moves about the desert constantly. The fortress is a huge, underground cavern. There are many little pathways, but they all lead to the center of the cave. There is a giant, concealed hole at the top of the cave. After defeating Sasayaku, the hole will uncover itself and allow you to pass up and return to the desert…" Tiril broke off, a dreamy look in his eyes. _So that's what I was supposed to remember… Strange, no one ever said any of that to me._

"Wow… someone's well informed." Suzu laughed. "I didn't know all that, but it's certainly useful information."

"How did you know all that? Why didn't you tell me before?" Shuichi shouted angrily. "It could've saved me a lot of trouble!" _All this time, Apollyon's been imprisoned? How am I supposed to save him? How am I supposed to find him?_

"I don't know how I knew… the words just popped out of my mouth." Tiril frowned. _Yuki has something to do with this… he's the only new person I've met. Yeah, he probably knew. I dunno. Old people are so confusing. Planting weird words in my head without my go-ahead. The nerve!_ Tiril was slightly freaked about saying all those words. He honestly didn't _know_ how he knew them.

"Hmmm… well I'm guessing that because you're so young, your mind is susceptible to manipulation by stronger forces." Suzu grinned. "So someone else knew and wanted us to know as well."

"Why?" Shuichi frowned. He was still very confused. Apollyon was being held captive by a gang of demons, Tiril somehow knew all of this and more, and Suzu was always ten steps ahead of what everyone knew.

"Who else is going to save him?" Suzu raised an eyebrow. "Do you think we've got any other volunteers here?" She gestured to the rest of the party.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute! Why would you save Apollyon? You're a demon, too!" Shuichi pointed at Suzu.

"Oh yeah… he was supposed to be watching you, wasn't he?" Tiril asked Shuichi eagerly. "Didn't Mary say he was in trouble or something like that?" Shuichi groaned and covered his face with his hands.

"Wow… can't take you anywhere." Suzu let out a laugh. "Did anyone ever tell you what a blabbermouth you are?"

"What's wrong?" Tiril cocked his head, trying not to look at Shuichi, who was currently glaring at him.

"Try and… _remember_ this: Don't spill information around strangers." Suzu shook her head, holding back her laughter. "I'm sure everyone here would _love_ to know why the Angel of Hell was supposed to be guarding a half-demon."

"As a matter of fact… we would." A voice spoke up menacingly. Suzu and Shuichi froze, looking around them. Due to Lady Luck's lack of love towards them, the entire party had sometime circled around them and had most likely heard every word said. Tiril gulped in fear.

"Look, it's the Fallen." One demon leered, liking his lips. "I'll bet his blood tastes sweet as chocolate." Suzu jumped up and this and growled protectively.

"I want the one with the pink hair." A goblin with abnormally large fangs boomed. "I can make a nest with it after I tear it all out." Shuichi stood up as well, moving closer to Suzu.

"You idiots! We're not going to kill them! We're going to sell them to the Octo-Dynasty!" The first voice shouted out. Tiril squealed and jumped up onto the table. The being stepped forward out of the crowd.

"The name's Colin. I'm the lead vamp around these parts." Colin was a blonde vampire donning a huge T-shirt covered with multi-colored flowers, beige shorts, black sandals, and a dark blue hat. In short, he looked like he was ready to go on a vacation to Hawaii... but had unfortunately died on the way there.

"Seriously?" Suzu snickered. "I was expecting someone a bit more… dark." Tiril burst out laughing at this. The other demons didn't find it so funny.

"Excuse me?" Colin glared heatedly at Suzu. "Wench, you'll regret that."

"You ready to take them on, Shuichi?" Suzu's eyes flashed red for a nanosecond. Shuichi nodded confidently and began visualizing a tiny bubble…

**

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**

**Woot woot! Suzu is the shiznot, ne? If you still don't remember her, refer back to Chapter 16: Party in the Outskirts! She's in the beginning. Lol wow that was eons ago, ne? **

**Lol haha I left a cliffhanger! But there's good news! I'm already halfway done with Chapter 25: Here's To My Partner In Crime! I'll have it up by October 15th, cuz SATs are next Saturday! AYAAAAA! I must study for SATs! I need to get at least 30 pts higher! (Not 150 pts lower...) Wish me luck! **

**And I hope everyone else does really well on the SATs or the ACTs or just regular tests that teachers seem to give on the same freakin days! Lol yes I'm stressing about that and ranting uncontrollably. I've got a paper due on Tuesday (Thank Jehovah we get off on Columbus Day).**

**Next chappie: Our favorite trio battles against a room full of demons. How will Suzu, Tiril, and Shuichi escape? And how is Apollyon _FINALLY_ going to be rescued? Is Tiril going to remember that Horobosu is after Shuichi? And the biggest question of them all: HOW MANY PARTIES IS SHUICHI GOING TO CRASH? **


	34. Chap 25: Here's to My Partner in Crime

**Lol hey everyone. So I'm not sure if I did better on the SATs but that's okay! My GPA can get me into college! (Sigh that shows how apprehensive she actually is) But yeah, I said I would have this chapter up by Sunday. And guess what: It's Sunday.**

**It was soooooooo cold today. I have a feeling its going to be a cold winter. Cries I hate the cold. Anyway, I'm wasting time here. Go on, read it! **

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**_CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:_**

**_HERE'S TO MY PARTNER IN CRIME _**

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The atmosphere in the once cheerful room had certainly changed. For one thing, the music had halted. The drinkers at the bar had stopped drinking, the gossipers ceased their gossip. Every demon's attention was on Suzu, Tiril, and Shuichi. Obviously, the party was over for the time being.

Colin, Shuichi's newest adversary-he seems to be acquiring them left and right, with _and_ without his knowledge-was currently leading the entire group of demons. Quite a diverse group of demons, unfortunately.

Shuichi inwardly sighed and looked around him. He didn't see one demon that looked like another, which most likely meant that every one was different and had different abilities. Things were not looking good for them right now.

_How do I get myself into these things?_ Shuichi almost jumped as he felt Tiril grasp onto his shoulders. _Oh. Now I remember._

"You know, I wouldn't mind if you smacked him in the head." Shuichi turned to Suzu. "Or maybe we should gag him."

"Hey!" Tiril shouted in protest. "I learned my lesson! I promise not to blab anymore." Suzu shook her head, smiling in amazement.

"Umm… they're not acting very scared, Colin." The goblin spoke up once again. "I think we should hurt them at least a little bit."

"Are you kidding me?" Suzu was obviously trying not to laugh. "You guys are the worst excuses for demons I've ever seen in my life. Real, _living_ demons would have at least thrown a punch by now! Pathetic…"

Shuichi watched in horror as all the demons bristled. Red eyes were glowing, claws were extending, and growling could be heard. "And you thought I was a blabbermouth." Tiril shook his head. "At least I'm not making them mad!"

"Are you crazy?" Shuichi took Suzu by the shoulders and shook her. "I hope you have the strength to back up what you just said!"

"The real question is: Can you keep up with me?" Suzu smirked and lifted Shuichi's hands off her. "Let's make this quick." Shuichi looked around for Colin, but the vamp was nowhere to be found. _Of course… why would the leader stay around for the imminent slaughter? _Suzu smiled maliciously to herself.

The demons roared and ran at the trio. Suzu held her hands out in front of her and a spiral of fire shot out into the crowd. It blew half of them back. "Wow… you're a fire demon?" Tiril asked Suzu excitedly.

"You'd better believe it." Suzu turned her head to grin at Tiril. "And it just so happens that I'm a _very_ powerful fire demon." She blew a kiss at the black rabbit hanging on the wall. Shuichi looked at the picture and frowned. Did she like rabbits or something? Shuichi jumped as he heard a deafening battle cry.

Before Shuichi knew it, the demons had closed in on them. He started dodging magical blasts of energy, punches, kicks, swords, arrows, and just about everything present in the room. Finally, after being hit in the back of the head with a plate containing chocolate cake, Shuichi finally lost it.

Shuichi jumped high in the air and released about ten tiny bubbles at once. A handful of demons jumped up after him. He landed on the ground and ran over to where Suzu and Tiril were. "Tiril, the barrier!" He screamed breathlessly over the noise. Tiril instantly took the brooch off his neck and placed it on the ground.

A barrier instantly formed around the trio. "What are those bubbles doing up there?" Suzu raised an eyebrow and then cackled as a stupid demon tried to break inside the barrier. It was electrocuted and fell to the ground. Oddly enough, the demons still decided to try and get inside. "So… why are we hiding?"

Shuichi made sure that all ten of his bubbles were in different locations. He then let them pop simultaneously. Ten gigantic water cyclones violently swirled about the room, crashing and soaking everything. Amazingly enough, the surrounding walls and the picture were not destroyed. However, everything else lay in ruin. Even some demons.

"That was pretty sweet." Suzu nodded her approval at Shuichi. "I like your barrier a lot more now, Tiril. You _can_ be useful." Tiril stuck out his tongue at Suzu and she ruffled his hair lovingly. "But we've still got more work to do."

"I know." Shuichi shook his head. "Things just got a little crazy and we got separated. We can't let that happen again or they'll beat us." By this time, the twisters had died out and some demons began to stand back up.

"Let's see what we can do here. We've got fire, we've got water, and we've got a barrier." Suzu said thoughtfully. "They've got stupidity, but also strength in numbers. We've got the brains."

"We've got to go." Tiril piped up. "We can't waste time here because Apollyon needs us."

"Yeah, another good point. I say we go out with a bang and blow their minds." Suzu nodded with certainty. "Let's cause some chaos."

"Why?" Sometimes Shuichi didn't get Suzu at all. Actually, he didn't think he'd ever understand women. But at least Suzu was nice, despite her insanity.

"Because it's fun." Suzu smirked as yet another demon body slammed the barrier. "We'll make an exit these knuckleheads will never forget."

"Tee hee… knuckleheads." Tiril repeated, giggling to himself.

"Tiril, man the barrier!" Suzu ran straight out of the barrier, to Shuichi's shock. Tiril stood firmly like a statue, ready to man his barrier.

"Where are… what are…" Shuichi groaned out loud and ran after Suzu. _I never thought I'd meet a girl more impulsive than me…_ Suzu had surrounded herself with angry demons and was blasting them all with fireballs. "Suzu!"

The dark-haired demon turned to Shuichi expectantly. "What?" She cocked her head to one side, kicking an ogre in the side and lighting a vampire on fire.

"Suzu… next time, wait for me…" Shuichi couldn't help but feel a bit worried about Suzu. She was reckless, running into a crowd of demons ready to chop off her head. Shuichi concentrated his energy and froze three demons.

"Sure, Shu." Suzu shrugged and went back to setting demons on fire. She was rather good at it. Just about every demon was screaming in pain.

_She didn't call me "Shu-chan" first, like everyone else does. Shu… I like it._ Shuichi grinned and stood confidently next to Suzu. His eyes widened in realization. "Suzu, whenever you're ready to make our big exit, you let me know."

"Oooh, Shu's got a plan." Suzu smirked as she jump-kicked a vampire.

"I need a big explosion, with a lot of energy. Can you do it?" Shuichi asked hurriedly. "I also need a distraction. I'll need time to-" He broke off as a sword almost slashed through his arm. He angrily enclosed the demon in a huge ice cube and then turned it into smoldering steam. The demon shrieked loudly and died.

"You don't have to explain." Suzu said simply. "Now get out of here before I kill you by accident." Shuichi almost laughed, in spite of the situation around them. He quickly dashed back inside the barrier.

"What's the situation?" Tiril barked out, as if he was an army commander.

"You keep concentrating on the barrier. But be ready to withdraw it quickly. We're about to leave." Shuichi sat down on the ground and closed his eyes. He drowned out all the noise, all the chaos, and the smell of fire and blood.

Shuichi successfully calmed his mind. He began forming a huge bubble of water in his mind. But the bubble was not anywhere in the room. No, the bubble was _outside_ of the house. Outside, in that vast void full of darkness. No end and no beginning. It was quite easy to visualize because Shuichi had no idea how far below the ground he was. The bubble grew larger and larger in his mind.

"SUZU! NOW!" Shuichi shouted, standing up. Somewhere out in the crowd, Suzu let out a loud shriek. A pillar of fire shot up into the ceiling, but _never_ broke through it. It seemed as though the house itself was a demon. The pillar extended until it was burning the entire inside of the house and every demon inside.

Shuichi kept on growing his large bubble. Sooner or later, one of the elements was going to break through the magical house. The two forces, inside and outside, fire and water, would completely annihilate it. The house would either explode or implode. But would Tiril's barrier be able to withstand the blast?

Shuichi heard rumbling come from outside the house. His bubble was growing and stretching by the nanosecond. Suzu's fire was growing more intense and dangerous. Shuichi could see that Tiril's barrier was beginning to weaken. A few cracks could be seen on it.

"Suzu!" Tiril began shouting for the fire demon. Suzu flew over inside the barrier, breathily heavily. "Are you okay?"

"Fine… just tired." Suzu looked at Shuichi. "Are you ready yet?"

"Can you fly us out of here after the two forces meet?" Shuichi asked her. It was going to happen soon. The walls around them began crumbling. The floor was shaking and the pieces of the ceiling began falling down.

"What? Look, I dunno what you're talking about. But where do you want to go?" Suzu frowned, looking around her. _Mou… if he isn't the weirdest-_

"Back up to the desert." Shuichi pointed up. "As _you_ pointed out before, I can't fly. I'm not sure about him."

"Doesn't matter. He'd slow us down." Suzu knelt down. "Get on, buddy." Tiril climbed onto her back. "I know this isn't your thing, but we're going to have to hold hands. I can't carry you."

Shuichi's serious mood broke at that point. "Wait! You know I'm gay? What **_DON'T_** you know about me?" He pouted in annoyance.

"Oh come on. The pink hair? It's a dead giveaway." Suzu laughed, holding out her hand. "Let's go, partner."

Shuichi grinned back at her and took her hand. The moment their hands touched, the house finally burst. Suzu shot up high in the air, zipping by the gigantic explosion. The house and all the demons inside had been reduced to rubble and debris. The demons that hadn't been completely torched by the fire had been crushed by the water. Either way, destruction was inescapable.

Suzu rose higher and higher, until Shuichi caught sight of a tiny hole. The hole grew bigger as they neared it and Shuichi smiled, seeing light peek through the hole. Tiril screamed in excitement, holding onto Suzu tightly. Because if either of them fell back down, they would probably die. The aftermath of their final attack was still raging about in the darkness, looking for another victim.

Suzu soared right through the open hole and dropped down onto solid, sandy ground. Tiril and Shuichi let go of her. The three of them watched in shock as the hold covered itself back up with sand. Suzu let out a sigh of relief and dropped onto her back, breathing heavily. Shuichi and Tiril reclined on the sand as well.

"Now **_that_** was crazy…" Suzu grinned tiredly. "I like hanging with you guys. I'm ready to take on those octopuses now." Shuichi and Tiril looked at each other and burst out laughing. "What? What's so funny?" But Suzu laughed all the same.

* * *

After the threesome had rested for a few hours, they set out at once in search of the moving lake mirage. According to Suzu, not many demons had seen it. "But we'll find it!" Suzu had shouted encouragingly.

Things certainly seemed to look better for Shuichi. He was actually confident that he would reach his destination. This was because of Suzu, who was a very proficient demon. She was perceptive, clever, and powerful. Knowing that he had Suzu by his side, Shuichi knew he could accomplish anything. Although he only just met Suzu, he felt as though they were two halves of the same whole.

It also helped that the trio didn't have to walk anywhere. Because Suzu was so in touch with her element, she was able to conjure a floating, mobile disk wide enough for them to sit on. The disk was made of fire, but it didn't burn them. The trio zipped about the desert in comfort. If they got thirsty, Shuichi provided the drinks requested. Even Tiril found the inner strength to keep his level of complaints down to a minimum.

Suzu, Tiril, and Shuichi passed the time by making up stories. It had been Tiril's idea. His stories had been a bit… bizarre, but he had a unique imagination. Maybe there really was a world out there ruled by purple penguins. Or a world where everyone could only eat red applesauce.

Tiril's stories certainly did pass the time well, because they had so many twists and turns- they never ended. Or rather, by the time they ended, neither Suzu nor Shuichi could remember how they began. The ending was practically the beginning of another story. He was currently telling a story about a poor artist who was searching for a magical pen. When it was used, it could make inanimate objects talk and move.

"Drew needed to find the Polka Dot Pen and fast. So Drew was walking in a desert like this one… except the sand in this world is… blue. Yeah, it's blue. And in his world, it's not hot… it's always cold and rainy-" Tiril narrated animatedly.

"Why call it a desert then?" Suzu cut in, rolling her eyes. _No wonder they kicked him out of Heaven. _Shaking her head, she watched as Tiril thought her proposal over. _Nah, whoever takes that cute smile off his face deserves to rot in Hell. I'd like to kill off the Angel that got him sentenced._

"Hey! This is my story!" Tiril shouted in protest. "If you want regular desert, that's too bad!" _Jeez… don't they realize how important it is that I grow creatively? This is beneficial to my mental development. I hope they **never** have kids. _

"It's been your story for five hours." Suzu muttered darkly and Shuichi snickered. Tiril glared up at Suzu. "Alright, alright… sorry. Keep on going. So Drew is in his blue, rainy, cold desert…"

"That's right!" Tiril nodded his head firmly, but then froze. "Hey… what's that?" He pointed to the left. Shuichi's head snapped in that direction.

"I don't see anything." Shuichi sighed. _I thought we finally found it…_

"I did… I saw something blue!" Tiril said defensively. Suzu frowned and made a gesture with her hand. The fiery disk instantly changed direction. They were now heading to the left. The disk began picking up speed. Tiril scrambled about so that he was in Suzu's lap.

"What are you doing?" Suzu looked down at Tiril.

"I don't want to fall out." Tiril looked ahead determinedly. "We have to catch it." The disk zipped about even faster. Luckily the wind was on their side and pushed them along.

Finally, Shuichi saw a flash of blue ahead. But as soon as he affirmed it was there, the blue vanished! "Where did it go?" Shuichi turned to Suzu. "Did you see it?" _I know I saw it a moment ago… does it really move that fast?_

"I get it…" Suzu nodded her head. "The mirage doesn't move normally. It teleports around. But does it move randomly… or is there a pattern involved?"

"If it moves in a pattern, we can predict its moves." Shuichi finished, practically reading Suzu's mind.

"There!" Tiril shouted pointing to the right. "Aw… it's gone already."

"Its okay, Tiril. We found the lake mirage." Suzu shrugged and held up one hand. The blazing disk became stationary.

"Now we just have to catch it." Shuichi frowned to himself. _I know I can use the lake to my advantage. My element is water. I control it. But I'll have to be fast. The mirage only appears for a second and then it's gone again. What am I supposed to do?_

"You're thinking too hard, Shu." Suzu put a hand on his shoulder.

"Huh?" Shuichi broke out of his trance and looked at her.

"Just go back to basics. That's all I have to say." Suzu shrugged. "I'm leaving this entirely up to you. Water's cool, but it's not my cup of tea."

_Back to basics…_ Shuichi thought to himself. _The water is moving too fast and I need to slow it down. How can I do that? Crud… what am I supposed to do?_

And then, as if sent by Apollyon himself, Shuichi remembered the Angel's words: _"All of that water is made of up miniscule H2O's. All of them are the same temperature. I want you to picture them getting colder and colder. When particles get colder, they move slower and all the particles become packed together in a crystal lattice. I need you to pack all those tiny water particles very close together."_

"That's it!" Shuichi stood up and jumped off the fiery disk. He landed onto the hot sand and began running around.

"He's finally lost it." Suzu rolled her eyes and ruffled Tiril's green hair. "It's just you and me now, buddy." _Where the hell is he going?_

"I want some red applesauce." Tiril cocked his head to one side.

_I just have to wait for it to appear._ Shuichi sat down and began concentrating all of his energy. _When the mirage appears, I'll freeze it with every ounce of my energy. Even if I don't freeze all of it, I can still stop it from moving. I hope…_

"Can't give you that, my man." Suzu smiled, half-apologetically, half-amusedly. _Could he be any more random? Or adorable?_

"Then I'm going with Shuichi!" Tiril got ready to leap, but Suzu grabbed onto him. "Hey! Lemme go! Lemme go!"

"I hate to break it to you, but I think there was a reason Shuichi went down by himself." Suzu pointed out, smirking as Tiril plopped back down onto her lap in defeat. She froze as she felt demonic energy swirling about, but then realized it was only Shuichi. _If I wasn't so perceptive, I would've labeled him a pure blood. He really is strong…_

Shuichi could feel his power growing and growing around him. It was useless at the moment, almost dormant. But as soon as the lake emerged, Shuichi's energy would pounce on it. He could picture all the tiny Mickey Mouses (A/N: an H20 molecule looks like Mickey's head) spinning and dancing around him.

Finally, the half-demon felt it. He felt foreign water materializing somewhere and his energy instantly pounced on it, chilling and halting all the infinitesimal molecules. Shuichi didn't even need to open his eyes to know that he had frozen the entire lake mirage. He heard Tiril's loud gasp and Suzu's whoop of joy.

Shuichi opened his eyes and smiled proudly. He stood up and took in the sight of a completely frozen lake, positioned a few feet away from him. The lake must've been about ten miles wide at the most. It was made of the purest, bluest water Shuichi had ever seen. Despite the fact that he had frozen all of it, the water had maintained its blue color.

"You are too awesome." Shuichi jumped and turned around, only to see Suzu and Tiril walking towards him. "Admiring your handiwork?" Suzu grinned widely, gesturing to the frozen lake. "Now then, let me handle the rest."

"What do you mean?" Tiril cocked his head to one side.

"Well, since the fortress is under the lake, I'm going to melt a little hole so we can pop on down!" Suzu linked arms with Shuichi. "I say, my partner in crime, we make quite a team!"

"Without a doubt." Shuichi nodded happily and began pulling the both of them towards the lake.

"Shuichi of the Frozen Lake." Tiril said mysteriously, stopping them in their tracks. "Don't ask me why I just said that because I have no idea. I'm guessing it's important though, because I never remember anyone saying that to me before."

"You know what… I don't think anyone's manipulating you." Suzu reasoned thoughtfully. "I think you're **_developing_** a manipulative ability."

"Huh?" Shuichi asked, dumbfounded. _Ability?_

"Because, he has an uncanny knack of telling us exactly what we need to know." Suzu gestured to Tiril and the trio began walking to the lake once more. "You've got to have abilities… you're an Angel, Tiril."

"Yup, yup!" Tiril jumped into the air and landed on Suzu's shoulders. "I don't want to slip on the ice."

"Okay." Suzu let out a laugh and shared a look with Shuichi. The two of them looked out into the lake and began walking on the ice.

It was a good thing Suzu had linked arms with Shuichi before, because she certainly had no balance. She slipped and twisted so many times, Tiril was currently debating jumping onto Shuichi. Poor Shuichi had been forced to hold all **_three_** of them up at some points.

"I think I twisted my ankle…" Suzu muttered crossly as they tentatively trudged on. "How far out do you want to go?"

"What part of your body **_didn't_** you twist?" Shuichi rolled his eyes, pulling them along. "Trust me, okay?"

"Do you honestly think I'd be here, on top of ice no less, if I didn't trust you?" Suzu shouted angrily. "I just think we should stop before the lake melts!"

Shaking his head, Shuichi finally stopped walking. "Fine then. Melt it." He had to stop himself from laughing as Suzu let out a jubilant shout and immediately detached herself from him, which almost sent her and Tiril skidding on the ice.

"Are you crazy?" Tiril shrieked out, tightening his grip on Suzu's neck.

"I can't breathe!" Suzu began hitting Tiril's tiny arms. "Let go, you idiot! Stop choking me!" Suzu began spinning about on the ice, pulling at Tiril's arms and shouting obscenities.

_How are we going to take on eighty-something octopuses if Tiril and Suzu kill each other?_ Shuichi let out a sigh. _And the scary thing is… I feel more mature than them._ He cleared his throat purposely and the squabbling duo stopped their antics.

"Suzu? The ice?" Shuichi pointed down. Smiling sheepishly, Suzu knelt down onto the ice and put her hands on top of the surface. Water vapor began rising above them and Shuichi could feel the heat around them.

"Let's go!" Suzu impulsively jumped down into the hole she had created, taking Tiril with her. Shuichi shouted out in surprise and then leapt down after her, closing his eyes as the water enveloped him. Shuichi felt himself sinking faster and faster, which was kind of weird because he was underwater and even weirder because the water wasn't even cold.

At last, he sensed that he was nearing earth. He calmly let the water carry him until he felt pebbles and dirt under his stomach. Shuichi opened his eyes. He was lying inside the hugest cave he had ever seen in his life.

**

* * *

**

**So yea, I'm done. Did you like it? Oh yeah, I just wanted to thank everyone that reviews because you guys are flipping awesome! It means a lot to me that you take the time to let me know what you're thinking. Preciate it, preciate it. (Sage nod)**

**Okay the next chapter is entitled Intermission 01: Just Forget. Lol remember, every thirteen chapters (not counting Part 1s and 2s and Specials), I post an intermission. This one is all about Tiril. How he became a Fallen Angel, his life in paradise beforehand... and finally Raphael's connection to him is revealed. **

**It's going to take a while for me to write it, because the setting will be in Heaven for the first time. But it'll be out before the end of October- promise!**


	35. Intermission 01 A: I'm So In Love

**So... after like three or four months of me NOT updating, I finally have. I really am sorry. I was all wrapped into applying to college, doing my schoolwork, all that holiday jazz (and would you know I barely had any ME time during vacation), etc. Good news is, I got into my top choice so my college search is over. Bad news is finals are at the end of the month.**

**Okay, so once I realized this was over 20 pages, I was like, okay I have to separate it into two parts. The second part could be longer, could be shorter. I honestly don't know. Once again, flashbacks are in bold. Unlike the first Intermission, this one takes place entirely in the past. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the lullaby (All Through The Night) used.

* * *

**

_**INTERMISSION 01 A:**_

_**I'M SO IN LOVE…**_

**((Tiril and Raphael))

* * *

**

While sitting in his despondent cell, Tiril stared blankly at nothing. Why was he even alive? The world he lived in meant nothing to him. What was Heaven, but a sanctuary for dead humans and a nightmare for Angels? For Angels were to be nothing less than perfect. Those who were not perfect were condemned in the cruelest way. Wings could be torn off, social status could be snatched away… or worse… one could become a Fallen Angel and be sentenced to an eternity in Hell.

Unfortunately, Tiril was a candidate for all three of these punishments. He wasn't going to lie to himself. He knew he would most likely be sent down to Hell. After all, he had corrupted one of the most legendary Angels in the universe: Raphael.

Raphael. The very name made Tiril want to pull his green hair out. Raphael. The Archangel that everyone adored, that humans named their children after. Raphael. The one the Angels could never bear to lose. Raphael. The being so precious, so revered… the being Tiril had fallen in love with so long ago.

Unfortunately, homosexuality was forbidden in Heaven. It had been for eons and the laws would not bend for an unworthy Angel like Tiril.

"_You're headed for greatness, you know that? I heard that you're a likely candidate to become an Archangel."_

As if that would happen now… Tiril's life was over. Become an Archangel? Yeah, right. And what would he be known as? He'd **_always_** be in Raphael's shadow. Ever since the day he was born, Raphael was always more important than him.

So how could Tiril have been so stupid as to think he could get away with committing such a crime? What a place Heaven was… where it was a serious offense to fall in love with an Angel of the same gender. Weren't Angels supposed to be wise and kind? Weren't they supposed to be understanding, tolerant?

Tiril sighed yet again and ran his fingers through his green hair. He wanted to get up and look out the window, but it was like torturing himself. What was the point? He would stand up, leave his oh-so-comfortable position, grasp onto the magically unbreakable bars, and stare longingly out into the world below. What would he see out there? He wouldn't see anything worth looking at.

Unfortunately, the reality was that no matter what he saw outside, it wouldn't be Raphael. He wouldn't see Raphael flying about outside, Raphael talking to his peers, Raphael laughing, Raphael… doing ANYTHING.

Tears filled Tiril's eyes, something he was growing accustomed to. He had been crying a lot lately. Before he had been jailed, he had thought crying was for babies and weaklings. But now… after everything that happened to him… all he could do was cry. He couldn't think about it.

The betrayal, the double standards, the consequences… it was all too much for him. Tiril hated the way things were in Heaven and he couldn't do anything to change them. Not a damn thing.

"Have I really become that pathetic?" Tiril asked himself mockingly. He needed to speak out loud. He needed to hear something else than Raphael's voice in his head. "Well… on the bright side… if I become a Fallen Angel, at least I get to keep my wings…"

_I'll just have to live in Hell for the rest of eternity… unless of course by some miraculous catastrophe I'm allowed back._ Tiril continued on cynically. _Those pompous-ass High Angels would never consider absolving me, whether I ask them three million years from now or tomorrow. _

Tiril smiled to himself, amused at his own use of sarcasm. Raphael liked that about him. Actually, Raphael liked a lot of things about him. Well, Tiril wasn't sure if Raphael liked him as of now, but the Archangel _used_ to love all sorts of things about his "tiny Tiril".

* * *

_**(Begin Flashback)**_

**The rising sunlight broke through the window, waking a sleeping Angel. Two males were in a tangle of ruffled hair, soft sheets, and strong legs. Hands were intertwined… and needless clothing was on the floor. **

**White and black were mixed together as one. Feathery, soft, birdlike wings, coated with white, almost as to assert purity, completely blended with sharp, sleek, hook-like wings, enveloped in black, trying to redefine darkness itself. **

**Raphael softly detangled himself from his lover. The graceful Archangel sat up in bed, his long, blonde hair tumbling about him. His golden eyes fell upon the resting form of Tiril. Raphael slowly smiled, wanting nothing more than to hold Tiril for the rest of eternity.**

**However, Raphael had a lot of work to do. Not only was he a High Angel, but one of the Seven Archangels as well. He didn't get to sleep in. But he had enough authority to be assured privacy at all times. That was convenient.**

**Another good thing was that Naophiel was away for the weekend on a retreat with other female High Angels. So he wouldn't have to worry about getting caught. Raphael grinned mischievously. Although he was an Archangel, lately Raphael had been indulging in very… non-angelic activities. **

**Raphael leaned down so that he was right above Tiril. His hair cascaded around Tiril's upper body, as if shielding it from everything else. Raphael almost laughed as Tiril frowned in his sleep. The Angel was much too serious all the time.**

He needs to loosen up a bit…** Raphael smirked to himself. The blonde tilted his body even lower and tenderly kissed Tiril on the forehead. Tiril's bright orange eyes immediately flashed open. He gazed up at Raphael, slightly confused for a moment. **

"**Good morning…" Raphael murmured in his lover's ear and then nipped it. Tiril jumped faintly, surprised at Raphael's actions. **

"**What the hell are you doing?" Tiril muttered darkly. Tiril had never been a morning Angel; he hated being woken up. Actually, there were a lot of things Tiril didn't like. And he never failed to express all of these to Raphael. As a matter of fact, it was this tactless honesty that awakened Raphael's attraction in Tiril in the first place. Tiril was special, no doubt about that. **

**So instead of answering Tiril's question, Raphael decided to cover the younger Angel's face with kisses. A kiss on his bang-covered forehead, his adorable cheeks, his round eyes, his tiny nose… actually, Tiril's entire baby face was irresistible. Alas, Raphael could feel the annoyance emitting out of Tiril's pores. **

**Raphael finally pulled away from Tiril, sitting up and smiling down at the Angel. Tiril sat up soon after, shaking his hair and rubbing his eyes. "What's on the agenda for today?" Tiril cocked his head to one side.**

**Raphael held up two fingers and a gentle wind extracted a notepad from his white robe (which had been discarded on the floor). The same gust carried the notepad over to the blonde and flipped the pages over. **

"**Let's see… it's Sunday and I have Prayer Duty with… Sariel." Raphael wrinkled his nose in displeasure. Sariel was always looking for another Angel to accuse of being "unholy". Sariel would not doubt use their time together trying to extort gossip from Raphael. Unfortunately, Raphael actually had something to hide, which made Prayer Duty all the more risky. The notepad dropped onto the sheets.**

"**You'd better get going." Tiril said reluctantly after a while. Raphael smiled and kissed the younger Angel on the lips. **

"**I love you, you know that?" Raphael put his hands around Tiril and pulled him close. Tiril rested his head on Raphael's shoulder, basking in the Archangel's embrace. "I love everything about you. The way you're so picky with your food, the way you scowl when I'm being affectionate in public, the way you're not afraid to tell me exactly what you think, no matter how sarcastically rude or blunt it is…" **

**Raphael broke off as Tiril let out a tiny chuckle. "Ah hah! My tiny Tiril has graced me with laughter. I shall play it over and over again in my head while Sariel drills me for rumors." The blonde grinned widely, drawing circles on Tiril's back.**

"**Aren't you supposed to be concentrating on the humans praying?" Tiril cocked an eyebrow, smirking. "And I thought Michael had Prayer Duty on Sundays." The green-haired Angel shifted so that he was more comfortable. **

"**Yeah… but someone tired me out too much on Wednesday, so I had to switch days. I'm not as young as I used to be." Raphael held back a laugh. He could tell Tiril was blushing. "It's okay… although it took me a while to convince him. I had to resort to: 'Please, Mikey!' I'm surprised he didn't make me pay him."**

**Tiril shook his head. Raphael was one of the only Angels that could get away with calling Michael "Mikey". Not even Michael's brother, Gabriel, was allowed that privilege. It just showed how much Raphael was loved in Heaven. **

**Tiril let out a little yawn, but it did not go unnoticed by Raphael. "Oho! You're tired." Raphael's left wing began stroking Tiril's back, in place of his fingers. "You should get some more sleep." The blonde regretfully let go of his lover.**

"**I would've gotten more sleep if you had left me the hell alone." Tiril muttered crossly and scowled when Raphael kissed him on the top of the head.**

"**You're the only one here that says the word 'Hell'." Raphael chuckled, shaking his head. Tiril's face grew dark at that and he glared angrily at the wall.**

"**If you honestly believe that, then you really are a product of this gilded, hypocritical society." Tiril snapped out, refusing to look at Raphael's shocked face. "If Heaven was all perfection and full of light, we wouldn't have to hide, would we?"**

"**Tiril… I was joking." Raphael's face turned serious. "I know we're not perfect. And it's your bitterness that leads you to believe that Heaven gives off an insincere atmosphere of perfection."**

"**And it's your ignorance that leads you to believe that still you're one of them." Tiril laughed cynically. "You do realize that once they find out, you'll be ostracized by the entire community, right? Humans can get away with breaking that law, because they don't know what really goes on in our society. To them, Heaven is the place where they can find true happiness and let's face it: if they actually make it here, they deserve it. You're not human, Raphael. You're one of the Seven Archangels."**

"**I know what I am." Raphael stood up angrily, snatching his white robe and undergarments from off the floor. He clothed himself hastily and slipped his white sandals on his slender feet. **

"**True. The problem is… you don't know who you are." Tiril snorted, lying down on the bed. "Have fun at Prayer Duty." Raphael left without a word.**

_**(End Flashback)

* * *

**_

Tiril shook his head. _I was so angry… I took him for granted._ Looking back at his life certainly helped him analyze it. _I was scared… I didn't think Raphael loved me that much. He loved me for the same reasons the Angels despised me. And I was cranky on top of that. No wonder he doesn't care that I'm stuck here…_

Tiril broke out of his depressed stupor as the metal bars holding him captive opened magically. He had a visitor? Who? Was it Raphael? Could it be?

Of course, it wasn't Raphael… but the next best thing. Raphael's Twin Flame, Mary strolled into Tiril's stone prison and the bars closed shut behind her. Mary was quite an enigmatic being. For one thing, she was human, but was given the same social status as any Archangel, if not, more. She was always dressed in elegant blue robes and her head was always covered with a veil. Because of the veil, no one in Heaven had ever seen her face.

Mary was the most distinctive, extraordinary being in all of paradise. Her voice could be gentle, but noticeable like a soft bell; or firm, but soothing like an ocean wave. Her songs cultivated flowers and her laughter made birds sing. Her advice was heeded without question, her word was implicit law. She was forever fair; a subjective word never left her lips.

Mary was the epitome of the _almost_ perfect woman. Every female wanted to be more like _her_. Every child wanted to be _her_ child. Every male wanted _her_ by his side. Her love was unconditional and endless. And yet, despite all her virtues and seemingly nonexistent vices, Mary never regarded herself or allowed anyone else to regard her as "perfect". She was humble, pure, and beautiful (although no one had ever seen a sliver of her skin) in ways nearly indescribable.

Mary herself had actually come to visit Tiril in his cell, when no one else would. She stood there in all her celestial glory, contrasting with the stone gray walls that held Tiril prisoner. Any other time, Tiril would have risen to his feet to greet Mary; everyone did this. But today, in this cell, he just didn't _care_.

Of course, Mary didn't see this as a sign of disrespect. Even more shocking, she sat down next to Tiril, using the stone wall for back support, just like he was. They sat together in serenity, basking in the darkness of the cell.

"You cannot even hear the birds chirp." Mary finally spoke up, her soft voice making Tiril jump slightly. "How can your soul recover if you cannot see anything but these walls… or hear anything but your own thoughts?"

"I don't think… my soul will ever recover." Tiril admitted, speaking civilly to someone for the first time since he had been put in the cell.

"I have spoken to Raziel about your situation." Mary informed Tiril. Tiril's eyes widened and he let out a tiny gasp. "I wanted to learn of your future."

_She went to speak to Raziel just to ask about me?_ Tiril couldn't even look at Mary. _I can't be that important. I'm not that important. Why?_

"Raphael is my Twin Flame. Although we are very different, we are very in tune with each other." Mary explained softly. "From the moment he fell in love with you, I felt the change immediately in my heart. I have considered you my spiritual son since that day. Because he loved you more than he loved anyone else, I began to feel strongly about you as well.

"Tiril, I cannot any of the information Raziel disclosed to me last night. Telling you would drastically impact the future." Mary chuckled. "But I shall not waste time boring you with concepts you are already aware of. Know this, Tiril: You are valuable. You will be restored to innocence and you will be awakened. Be not afraid, for the wind will always guide you."

"I don't want any help from Raphael." Tiril cut in angrily, his eyes flashing.

"I know you are angry with him. I will not lie. I am disappointed with his actions." Mary let out a soft sigh and Tiril almost passed out. It must have been the Apocalypse, because no way in Hell or Heaven did Mary just say that about her Twin Flame! "However, I feel what he feels. He is suffering just as much-"

"No! You know what, that's not enough!" Tiril shouted out, interrupting Mary once again. Oh, if anyone knew how impudent he was being, he would be put to death… "What Raphael is going through is _NOTHING_ compared to what I'm going through! I… I've always been alone. Raphael never had anything to lose. Everyone loves him, adores him… He'll still be revered up here in Heaven and I'll be stuck _Down There_ forever.

"Don't you see, Mary? I never meant anything to Raphael. If he could just give me up so easily… without a fight… I'm here in this stupid cell. Where's Raphael? Back at home. Is he even going to be punished? Reprimanded at least? No, why would he be? He only committed a 'heinous' crime.

"All the other Angels are going to be… here. Making memories with the others, falling in love, having children… and I'm going to be in Hell. My life, my reputation is ruined eternally. I'm going to be nobody; the faceless Angel that dared believe… in love." Tiril began crying again and he let go, sobbing his heart out.

Mary stayed silent while Tiril cried. The Angel wrapped his arms around his knees and pulled them closer to his body, as if trying to scrunch up in a little ball. His black, jagged wings drooped and enfolded his body.

Mary knew just what to say to make Tiril feel better, but he needed to calm down first. He would not be able to heed or comprehend her words unless he was in a stronger mental state. The woman smiled sadly, listening to Tiril's sobs. The poor boy was suffering immensely, too much, in fact. Mary opened her mouth and began to sing, releasing her soothing, loving energy in the form of words:

**"Sleep my child and peace attend thee,  
All through the night  
Guardian angels God will send thee,  
All through the night  
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,  
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping  
I my loved ones' watch am keeping,  
All through the night **

**Angels watching, e'er around thee,  
All through the night  
Midnight slumber close surround thee,  
All through the night  
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,  
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping  
I my loved ones' watch am keeping,  
All through the night..."**

Mary finished her soft song and smiled in relief. Tiril was no longer sobbing. Tiril still had a while to go before he was ready to move on, but he could do it.

"My son… I believe that Raphael is misguided, as all of us are. Centuries ago, when the rebel Angels tried to seize Heaven, one of the Fallen Angels said something that particularly stuck with me throughout the years. I remember that dark, horrible day. The war between the Fallen Angels and us was horrible. Many do not speak of it… Angels were being executed on the spot. Wings were being torn off like leaves off a tree.

"I was the chief Healer at that time. I took care of both sides, something that produced controversy, of course. I was relieving a rebel of the pain sensation, only to have him torn away from me by none other than the Archangel Michael. I was shocked that Michael would do such a thing, especially because the rebel's wound was fatal. He was going to die soon.

"The rebel turned and looked at me, with a forlorn look in his eyes. I was crying then, but I didn't realize it. Michael tore his wings right off, but the rebel kept his sad eyes on me. He didn't even scream… he just looked at me. The rebel said before Michael beheaded him: 'The only difference between the humans down there and the Angels up here is that… we have wings.'

"Those words struck me as if I had been shot in the heart with an arrow. The war ended not too long after that day, but I could not forget what the Angel had said. I could not forget the cruelty I had witnessed. My eyes were truly opened to the hypocrisy inside Heaven. I was distraught for so long. How could Angels kill so wordlessly, so heartlessly, so needlessly, so thoughtlessly?

"However, I could not let the other Angels know of my true feelings. It would be interpreted as treason instantly. So I hid behind my veil, literally, and never spoke or thought of my feelings again… until now.

"For you see, Tiril, there are many things you do not understand about Heaven. If I ever appeared less than perfect, I would be cast out of Heaven immediately, for I will always be human. The other Angels are threatened by me, because I am a human with authority. Many of them would like nothing more than to rip off my veil and slay me." Mary paused as Tiril finally lifted his head and stared at her in wonder. "Yet, I do not fear this. For you see, I believe in what you do not: love.

"Love is an entity so strong, it knows no boundaries. Gender, age, race… these are only means to categorize beings. Love has nothing to do with these things. Love goes beyond what is understood. When one falls in love with another, one does not fall in love with the sex of the being, nor the age, nor the race. When one falls in love with another, one falls in love with _who_ the other is. The other is a unique combination of qualities that one finds attractive, irresistible even.

"If Raphael was a girl, you would still love him. If Raphael was three thousand years younger, you would still love him. If Raphael wasn't an Angel, you would still love him. For these attributes define _what_ Raphael is, not who he is. Who he is defined by his actions, his words, his feelings.

"Unfortunately, many beings do not understand this concept. If only everyone could see past what their eyes tell them." Mary smiled and shook her head.

Tiril had never known how wise Mary was until then. Everything she had said made sense, well he didn't get some of it, but it all sounded good! Finally, finally it seemed as though someone understood him. He wasn't the only one that thought what went on in Heaven was wrong.

"Why don't you stand up to them then? You have more authority than they do!" Tiril stood up, passionately moved by Mary's words.

"I am not the one to bring about the revolution." Mary said enigmatically, rising to her feet as well. "The boy will come up one day. He will change all that is here. I will be with him, I will guide him, I will foster him."

"Who are you talking about?" Tiril frowned, sitting back down. However, Mary did not sit down again. She strolled over to the metal bars and wove her hand. The bars opened up once more and she walked out. "Mary… I want to know."

Mary whirled around at that and Tiril was afraid he had finally gone too far. He braced himself for the worst, but instead, Mary whispered enigmatically through the bars: "He will bring you back." And with that, Mary vanished into thin air, leaving Tiril alone. Well, alone and in shock.

_I'm coming… back?_ Tiril's orange eyes were wide with disbelief. It couldn't be; he must've heard her wrong. This was all too much for him. Mary's visit had literally wiped him out… the future Fallen passed out on the cold floor.

* * *

Raphael sat at his desk, with his head in his hands. Tiril had been locked in prison for a week now… and the blonde still had yet to visit him. In truth, he was too much of a coward to do so. Unlike his Twin Flame, Mary. Sariel had practically been bursting with joy when he announced at the last meeting that Mary had been seen entering Tiril's cell.

Sariel was beginning to aggravate the Archangel. "Isn't it scandalous? What if she's planning his escape? I'll bet she's in cahoots with Raziel." Sariel had wasted all of their time gossiping and trying to stir up controversy about Mary. If Raphael wasn't under scrutiny, he would have told the annoying Angel off yesterday.

_If only I had as much courage as Mary_… After the meeting, Raphael went to see Mary in her chamber. But to his surprise, Mary would not tell him anything that she and Tiril had discussed the previous day. Raphael could tell that Mary was not happy with him. The blonde could never remember Mary being so distant towards him, so implicitly disappointed with him. Raphael felt even guiltier after leaving her.

"What am I supposed to say? 'Oh, hi Tiril. I figured I'd stop by before my closest friends condemn you into the fiery pits of Hell. You make sure to have fun down there.' I can't face him… and nothing I say will make him hate me any less." Raphael wasn't going to lie to himself. He was horrible.

Just when Raphael thought his life couldn't get any worse, Naophiel burst into his room. Unlike Raphael, Naophiel had been positively delighted with the fact that Tiril had been locked up. Now she had Raphael all to herself. Unfortunately, the blonde wanted nothing more to do with her. Ever since Tiril had been taken away, Raphael had found everything about the High Angel positively revolting.

The Archangel began to amuse himself during meetings by picking out things he disliked about Naophiel. It wasn't like anyone cared what he thought now anyway. No one asked for his opinion; no one cared. So what else was he supposed to do but show up and mentally discover new things about his wife that he hated?

He hated how Naophiel's hair was just blue. It wasn't sky blue or metallic blue or turquoise or dark blue or blue green or pale blue. It was just blue, the most boring blue there ever was.

He hated how her boring, blue hair fell upon her shoulders. It wasn't long and it didn't flow. It wasn't short and it didn't frame her face. It just bounced slightly while she moved.

He hated her blood red eyes, so uncommon for an Angel. (Not that he minded red eyes; he was just looking for an excuse to loathe her). They were so cold and flat and angry. They flashed whenever she was jealous (which happened too much-yet another thing Raphael didn't like about her) or when she was arguing with someone. The woman needed anger management… badly.

More than anything, he hated Naophiel's power, her special ability that she had been endowed with since maturation. Her unique attribute kept the two of them together. Naophiel had the power to keep one's lover loyal and true. Ironically, Raphael had cheated on her many times with Tiril, but now that the female was aware of it, she had fully utilized her power.

Indeed, Raphael literally _couldn't_ visit Tiril, due to Naophiel's burning jealousy that amplified her natural, angelic powers. If the blonde had come within ten feet of the younger Angel, Heaven only knew what would happen…

However, the setback Naophiel provided only intensified Raphael's cowardice. The Archangel wasn't sure if he would've visited Tiril even if Naophiel didn't have her power. When did he become such a fool?"

"Raphael, are you listening to me?" Naophiel had her hands on her hips. Her eyes flashed darkly. "You'd better not be thinking about him."

Naophiel was thoroughly disgusted with Raphael. The only reason she had bothered staying with him was for social status. One obtained heaps of respect for being associated with an Archangel… and she was married to one. Yes, Naophiel would not give up the social benefits of this relationship yet.

"So what if I am?" Raphael stood up, spreading his grand wings out angrily. "Leave me." The blonde wasn't in the mood for her.

"I have every right to be here, you insolent fool!!" Naophiel hissed. "You should consider yourself lucky that I'm even permitting you to _think_ of him." Raphael froze at that, not realizing how extensive Naophiel's power actually was. "I always knew that child would bring about your destruction."

"Enough." Raphael spat out. He couldn't bear her words any longer. "It was just as much my fault as it was his." His golden eyes narrowed. "Our feelings were mutual." Naophiel let out a tiny gasp at that and she then sniffed in revulsion.

"If only those humans knew what you were really like, underneath all that professed magnificence." Naophiel chuckled coldly, turning to leave. "You're pathetic. Did you actually think you could get away with it?"

Raphael smiled sadly and shook his head. "Your personality drove me straight into his arms." He inwardly cackled at the look of horror on his wife's face. Naophiel stormed off without another word. Raphael plopped back down onto his seat, temporarily proud of himself.

It was a small step, but Raphael was becoming more defiant each day. Standing up to his wife of (Just how many years had he been stuck with her? Raphael had lost count…) too many years was definitely an accomplishment. There was a time when Tiril would trigger that same expression upon Naophiel's face.

* * *

_**(Begin Flashback)**_

**It was unbearably hot in Raphael's study. Tiril was seated on Raphael's desk, his legs wrapped around the blonde's waist. Raphael was licking and sucking and kissing Tiril's neck. Tiril's head was thrown back, his fingers gripping the edge of the desk tightly. In this moment of passion, Tiril wanted nothing more than to be close to Raphael. Tiril was just obeying his desire… not that he had a choice.**

**Who could possibly think rational thoughts while… Tiril moaned loudly, writhing and grinding his body into Raphael's. Raphael chuckled into Tiril's neck and gently pulled away from the younger Angel. Tiril glared at Raphael, unable to speak for a few seconds. Tiril was so frustrated he wanted to scream.**

"**What the hell?" Tiril breathed out, still gasping for air. Raphael planted a kiss on Tiril's forehead. "I hate when you do that."**

"**Do you honestly think your hatred is going to stop me?" Raphael smirked, squeezing Tiril's thin waist. He rested his chin on Tiril's shoulder and Tiril tilted his head so that it was lying against the Archangel's. **I love moments like this…** The two stayed in comfortable silence, just content to be in each other's arms. The silence lasted until… **

"**Are you in there Raphael? I need to talk to you!" Tiril jumped up at the sound of Naophiel's shrill voice. The Angel turned to the blonde worriedly. Raphael, shaking his head, wove his hand and a wind swept about the room.**

**Tiril looked down at himself. His robes and hair were no longer disheveled, his body was sweat-free, and his sandals were back on his feet. In other words, Naophiel would not be able to even consider the possibility that impious things had just occurred. Raphael gracefully waltzed over to the door and opened it.**

"**Yes?" Raphael smiled innocently, allowing his wife to stalk into the room. Tiril mentally glowered at the female; she really was a nuisance. Raphael shut the door behind him, knowing that Naophiel was probably going to yell at him.**

"**What is he doing here?" Naophiel sniffed haughtily. "Don't you have class or something, little boy?" Her words stung Tiril, but he was too proud to show it.**

"**He doesn't have class today." Raphael said curtly, narrowing his eyes. Naophiel gave her husband a suspicious look.**

"**You are so quick to defend him." Naophiel twirled her blue hair around with her index finger. "Must you be so cross with me?"**

"**Perhaps he speaks such cold words in the hopes that you will leave quickly." Tiril spoke up darkly, his words practically laced with venom. Naophiel's eyes widened; it was one of the first times he had ever spoken so rudely to her.**

"**Insolent compost!" Naophiel raised her hand to slap Tiril, who stared back at her defiantly, as if egging her on.**

"**Enough." Raphael held up one hand, his eyes flashing intently. "My apologies, but I have a meeting to attend. Tiril, will you accompany out of the building?" His words left no room for discussion. The two males left the study immediately, leaving a furious Naophiel behind.**

"**Must you be so impertinent with her?" Raphael hissed into Tiril's ear as they paced down the hallway. The blonde smiled and met the eyes of almost every Angel he passed by. Attitude was everything in the workplace, after all.**

"**I can't help it." Tiril mumbled bitterly. "I hate sharing her with you."**

"**My tiny Tiril… the only thing we share is matrimony." Raphael smirked wryly. "It is just a title without meaning."**

**Tiril did not answer, but he felt slightly relieved after hearing Raphael say that. A small smile graced his features… and the sun seemed to shine a bit brighter.**

_**(End Flashback)

* * *

**_

Raphael stood up, tears gushing forth from his eyes. _I'm so stupid! Stupid! Stupid! _He banged on his desk with his fist, over and over again. _He's the only one that really cares about me. How could I do such a thing?_

Raphael began pacing about his study. He had been pacing a lot lately. He didn't know what to do. His mind was blank, his heart was empty, and his body was weary. All in all, he was a wreck without Tiril next to him. To make matters worse, if the Archangel went anywhere near Tiril, the entire angelic universe would know. He would probably be imprisoned and what good would that do him?

No, no, Raphael needed to stay out of prison. Tiril still needed someone on his side during his sentencing, someone with powerful influence. It was time for Raphael to take advantage of his assets, in a way he had never done before. He would ensure that Tiril was not harmed during his punishment, no matter what it might be. After it was Raphael's job to protect Tiril, considering he was the boy's-

"Raphael!" Mary burst into his study, her voice filled with worry. "They've moved up the date for Tiril's sentencing. The other Archangels are debating about his future as I speak."

"How do you know this?" Raphael strode over, his eyes practically glowing.

"I was ejected from the meeting." Mary said sadly, grabbing onto the doorknob before Raphael could close the door. "No, we must hurry. It does not matter who hears us. Raphael… they want to tear Tiril's wings off and exile him to Hell. I cannot-"

At that moment, Raphael saw red. Sure both punishments were cruel… but together? It was unthinkable… unfathomable… the ignominy, the suffering, and the lingering memories that Tiril would endure.

"NO!" Raphael found himself shouting. "Mary, go back to the meeting. Stall them if you can. I have preparations to make."

"Raphael?" For the first time in centuries, Mary sounded confused. She could sense the determination in him… and it made her feel stronger.

"Quickly, go." Raphael darted out of the room and down the hallway. Mary stared in disbelief at his golden hair swishing about as he ran.

"Why doesn't he just fly?" Mary shook her head. "Foolish boy…"

* * *

_I hate him._ Tiril mentally decided. _Actually, I'm tired of having mental conversations with myself. I'm starting to scare me. That's never good._ So he settled for ranting out loud instead. Surely the metal bars would understand him.

"And why do I hate him, you all ask? Let's face it, he's not perfect. He's disappointed me before, let me down before, hurt me before… but this takes the cake. 'Oh okay, I'm too important to be punished. Blame it all on the brat! He deserves it! He barely has a life; look how young he is! And besides, none of you ever liked him anyway. You all put up with him because of me!

"'So do AS I say and imprison him! Don't bother to put any **_visible_** guards by him, mind you. As if he needs to see any living thing these days. Let him wallow in depression and self-pity. Oh, let him wallow!'" Tiril gritted his teeth and willed the very heavens that spawned him to strike Raphael down. And of course, heaven couldn't help him because heaven was consisted of Angels, half of which were conceited and heartless and the other half wouldn't DO anything about it.

Now of course, Raphael didn't literally say all of that, but the Archangel might as well have. "And you know… the thing that hurts the most is this: It wasn't supposed to end this way. He was supposed to love me and take care of me, not throw me away to the vicious dogs! No, no, that's not even it. The mere betrayal by him is what sickens me the most. Actually, I can't decide. I just hate him.

"He was supposed to be there, but he's not. I'm never going to get over this. It's not like he's some stranger I can forget. It's like this: So you're walking down the street and some random idiot pulls out his pocketknife and stabs you. And you wake up in a hospital, cursing the person that did it. But then someone is beside you. Whether it's a nurse or the person that found you lying there bleeding your guts out or your parents or some other family member or a close friend or colleague or even better, the one you love most: someone is there to hold your hand. And your physical and mental wounds heal quickly. You're back and ready to face the world.

"So tell me, what do you do when it's not the stranger that stabs you? What do you do when you're betrayed by the person you trust most in the universe? How can you possibly recover from that?" Tiril leaned his body against the wall, not even noticing the hot tears that were falling from his cheeks to the cold, cold floor.

"What do you do?" Tiril whispered hoarsely, gripping onto the edge of the stone that protruded outwards on the wall. So lost in his despair, Tiril did not detect the High Angel Sariel teleport into the hall outside his cell.

"Tiril." For once, Sariel's voice sounded serious. "We have decided your fate. Come with me to hear our decision." The usual mocking tone found in Sariel's voice was gone for the time being.

Tiril's jaw dropped open. He stared at Sariel… with his stupid white robe and his stupid white hair and his stupid tanned skin and his stupid aqua eyes that actually looked somewhat sympathetic and his stupid scar on his left eyebrow and…

They were going to sentence him so soon? Why was this? He was really going to get it now. The disapproving stares, the haughty sniffs, the careless gestures used only when referring to him… it would all be there and more, of course. And Tiril had no choice but to put up with it.

The metals bars that held Tiril prisoner shattered into tiny pieces and fell to the floor. Tiril wanted nothing more than to stay inside his cell at this point. Sariel could sense the male's fear and held his hand out.

Tiril couldn't understand why the High Angel was being so nice all of a sudden. Nevertheless, he was grateful for the kindness. He took Sariel's hand and stepped out of the cell.

Sariel instructed Tiril to close his eyes. The Angel was about to be teleported. _Oh well… at least there won't be any long, dreary walk. I can do this. I can do this._ Tiril closed his eyes. He felt the familiar pull of being teleported.

"We have arrived!" Tiril heard Sariel announce loudly. Tiril wanted to keep his eyes closed. His heart began pounding, his stomach felt like acid, and his lungs were about to burst. He couldn't do this. He couldn't.

Tiril slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see the entire Angel community seated in the all-too-familiar court room. To his surprise, the only Angels present were about twenty or thirty High Angels. Not one of the Archangels showed up.

Tiril slowly exhaled. Sure, there were staring. But so far, no one had done anything to him. No jeering, no spitting, no energy ball throwing. Sariel, keeping Tiril's hand in his, began walking down the center aisle of the courtroom.

The courtroom was not big, nor was it small. It consisted of the judge's bench up front, the defense's and the prosecution's benches placed away from the judge, the same number of pews behind each side, beautifully drawn designs on the floors and the ceiling, and stained glass windows circling the entire room.

Tiril confidently looked into the eyes of the Angels as he passed their pews. He didn't care enough to notice their reactions. He just wanted everyone present to know that he wasn't afraid anymore. What more could they do to him?

Sariel led Tiril to the defense's table, which was predictably empty. Tiril was about to take his seat, but Sariel stopped him. "This will be brief." Sariel whispered in Tiril's ear. Those words chilled Tiril to the bone, but he stood proud all the same.

Sariel made his way to the… judge's chair and sat down. _He's my judge? He's my judge and he came all the way to my cell to escort me? Something's not right. What's going on?_ Tiril inwardly frowned. After all, he couldn't let any of his emotions show. It was unacceptable.

"Tiril, there is no need for repetition. You know what you have done and you know you are about to learn the consequences of your actions." Sariel took a second for his words to sink in. "You will be-"

"Wait!!!" Mary herself burst into the courtroom. Heads turned, loud gasping noises were heard, and the Angels began muttering.

"Mary, what is the meaning of this?" Sariel narrowed his aqua eyes.

"Forgive my insolence, but you decided the boy's fate without my input. You also neglected to inform Raphael of the meeting that was taking place." Mary stalked forward, nothing but defiance in her voice.

"I went to his study to tell him and he rudely expelled me from his presence." Naophiel stood up, her red eyes leering at Mary. "You have no business being here."

"I have every right to be here. The boy had no one to speak on his behalf during the meeting." Mary took her place next to Tiril. "Is that fair? Is that just?" Tiril smiled gratefully at Mary. But where was Raphael?

"Enough of this! Mary, the decision has been made already." Sariel shook his head. "There is nothing you can do. Tiril, you will be sentenced to an eternity in Hell. Prior to your banishment, you wings will be removed. The penalty shall take place exactly twenty-four hours from now." Sariel held out his hand and a golden gavel appeared in the air. It whacked itself on the table.

"No!" Mary shouted out, holding Tiril close to her. Tiril was currently in shock. It was too much. As if sensing their fate, Tiril's black wings shook. Angels began filing out of the courtroom. "Sariel!" The sound of Mary's voice made every head turn once again. "Can you not feel Raphael's growing anger? I suggest you prepare yourself for the consequences of _your_ actions."

Tiril was frozen, frozen in disbelief, frozen in fear, frozen in hurt… "If he is foolish enough to take action against Heaven, then so be it." Sariel said sadly, turning around to leave. Mary let go of Tiril, but he stayed close to her.

"He is not taking action against Heaven; he is taking action against injustice!" Mary declared. The Angels began muttering again… and some of them narrowed their eyes suspiciously at Mary.

"Do not hold Mary accountable for what she is saying. She is under the mental influence of her Twin Flame." Sariel commanded. "We must find Raphael, wherever he is, and prevent him from doing anything rash."

"He is not here." Mary said quietly. "I cannot sense him." Her revelation sparked loud whispers and theories.

"Raphael has left Heaven?"

"I'll bet he's gone to rally up some Fallen Angels!"

"Where is he?"

"Oh, it is truly a shame when an Archangel shames his community twice."

"Where could he have gone?"

"SILENCE!" Sariel was angry now. "Look for him. Now!" The High Angels practically bolted out of the courtroom. Only Tiril, Sariel, and Mary remained. "Do you have any idea where he is?"

"No." Mary said truthfully. "I am worried." _About both of them. I don't think Tiril can take much more. Where are you Raphael?_

"In order for you to fully utilize your bond, you must regain your mental composure." Sariel crossed his arms over his chest. "Take the boy wherever you wish. He is yours for the next twenty-two hours. When it is time, bring him back here." And with that, Sariel teleported out of the courtroom.

"Oh Tiril, Tiril…" Mary took hold of Tiril once again. She silently wept for him, but Tiril didn't notice. He didn't even speak. Mary wasn't sure he was fully conscious. He just stood there, limp in Mary's arms.

"Sariel has granted you freedom. Though it will last shortly, we shall make the best of it." Mary put an arm around Tiril's waist. "I shall teleport us wherever you wish to go." Tiril did not answer, his empty orange eyes fixed on a particular picture up in the window.

Mary's eyes followed Tiril's and she almost burst into tears again. Tiril was staring at a picture of the majestic sun. Of all pictures to stare at, why the sun? Why the very sign of Raphael? Even his mad silence, the one thing that remained constant in Tiril's mind was Raphael.

"Tiril." Mary shook the younger Angel gently. "Where do you wish to go?" Tiril's soulless eyes looked at Mary, but he still did not say anything. _I've lost him… He's unresponsive, withdrawn… It seems the cruel reality of his punishment has caught up with him. It has taken over his very being._

However, Mary had faith in the power of love. So she decided to leave Tiril's wellbeing in the hands of Raphael. Once the Archangel came back, he could heal Tiril. For now, Mary just had to keep Tiril safe and occupied.

* * *

Mary and Tiril were currently sitting at a circular, wooden table, facing each other. A checkered tablecloth and half-empty plates decorated the table. They were seated underneath the shade of a huge, oak tree. They were in a secluded part of the gardens. Not many knew about this lone, oak tree right smack in the middle.

Mary often came here to think. She had been doing a lot of thinking lately: Thinking about Raphael and his disappearance, Tiril and his speechlessness, and worst of all, the impending sentencing of the silent one. What would become of him in Hell? Would he befriend anyone? And most of all…

_**Would he ever speak again?**_

Mary took a sip of her water and then set the glass back onto the table. Hours had passed since Tiril had been given to her. Tiril had shown more signs of consciousness. He was nodding his head and blinking and now he was even eating. Although he would often stare off at nothing (which was quite eerie), for the most part, Tiril seemed to be okay. He wasn't talking yet, of course. But some of the shock had gone out of his system. And his wings hadn't quivered in over an hour.

Raphael still hadn't returned to Heaven… and the time was ticking. Soon, Tiril would be sentenced. His harsh sentence was right around the corner.

Tiril ate some more of his salad, the natural crunchiness of the lettuce making the unnatural silence between Tiril and Mary all the more uncomfortable. _He always was a light eater. In complete contrast to Raphael. He loves his sweets!_ Mary's eyes saddened. _Actually, when Tiril was a child he was quite fond of candy. What happened to that happy, little boy? Where did he go?_

Mary, choking back tears, hastily took another sip of water and then choked. She coughed quietly, covering her mouth. Tiril smirked at Mary, but still didn't say anything. "Are you almost done?" Mary shook her head as the Angel ate more of his salad. _It takes a near-death experience to bring a smile to his face. What a child._

After a few minutes, Mary stood up abruptly. Tiril gave her a questioning glance. _How long will he stay in that shell?_ She inwardly sighed and sat back down. Tiril smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Poking fun at my indecisiveness?" Mary shook her head. Tiril smiled apologetically. "What am I going to do with you?" His orange eyes saddened and he stared at his empty plate. She chuckled lightly. "I merely meant it as a joke."

Tiril instantly looked up, a tiny smirk on his face. "Let us depart. Shall we walk around the gardens?" Mary stood up and Tiril followed suit eagerly. "Don't worry about the plates, a servant will clear them." Mary said over her shoulder as she began strolling slowly towards the dirt path that led into the gardens.

Tiril ran and caught up with Mary. Sure, he was about to have his wings ripped off. Sure, he was about to be condemned to an eternity in Hell. Sure, Raphael **_still_** hadn't returned. Tiril smiled and looked up at the sun wistfully. However… the memories he was making today would stay with him forever.

* * *

**Well, that was Part A. Hope you all enjoyed it and once again, I apologize for taking so long. Intermission 01 B: Just Forget. Tiril's execution, Naophiel's temper tantrum, Raphael's return, and the biggest surprise of all... be ready for it!**


	36. Intermission 01 B: Just Forget

**Haha wow!! Prediction is officially over two years old. And with this Intermission (which is like 54 pages total), Prediction is now 433 pages!!!!!!!!! And I only took three weeks to update. Not like three months. I'm being good lol. There might be some mistakes in this, b/c while I was editing, the website logged me out. I'm disgusted and frustrated at that. I spent like an hour editing & I have no idea if it was all erased. So sorry in advance if there are any obvious errors.**

**Okay, the two songs used in this Intermission are Sally's Song, which is from Nightmare Before Christmas (awesome movie btw, love the soundtrack for the 3-D version) and My Last Breath by Evanescence.**

**Now, some of you might be offended or disgusted by the secret revealed in the conclusion and for that, I apologize. But try and remember: this is fiction.

* * *

**

_**INTERMISSION 01 B:**_

_**JUST FORGET...**_

**((Tiril and Raphael))

* * *

**

Tiril stood by himself in Raphael's study. Mary had dropped him off here a few minutes ago. She had to discuss something with another Angel, most likely about his punishment. Tiril knew he was safe here, but he also knew that he was going to "die" soon anyway, so what did it matter?

_I hate this…_ Tiril didn't want to touch anything the in room. He didn't want to sit down; he didn't want to look at anything. This study was filled with bittersweet memories. Kissing Raphael, watching Raphael, doing his homework with Raphael, yelling at Raphael, being held by Raphael, talking with Raphael, laughing with Raphael, fighting with Raphael… it was almost overwhelming.

_This is probably the last time I'm going to be in this room._ Raphael's study was practically one of the founding fathers of their relationship. It was one of their hiding places, and whether they came here to make love or to settle an argument, Raphael's study contained trustworthy privacy, perfect for clandestine lovers.

_I_ _need to stop thinking about Raphael. I really do. It's not healthy. Actually, our relationship was never healthy. It was never meant to be. We never should have crossed that line. It was a mistake from the beginning. The fact that we had to go to such lengths to hide it should have been the first clue. _

_I could've found some other Angel to fall for, but no one else… really liked me. _Tiril smiled sadly._ I don't have any friends my age. All I have is Raphael. And the worst part is, I love him so much. How am I going to last in Hell? I'm going to think about him all the time. He's constantly going to be on my mind._

_I'll have ugly scars from my wings being torn off. That's going to be nice. Will the remnants of my wings hurt all the time? Or will it just be a quick, stabbing pain? Perhaps it'll hurt for years and years, and finally the pain will go away._

_I don't want to think about it anymore. I don't want to think anymore. I just wish they'd kill me instead. I want to die. I can't live without Raphael. I can't._ Tiril fell to the floor and burst into tears. He tried to sob, but no noise left his throat. He couldn't make any noise. All he could do was silently sob, hot tears trailing down his cheeks. Tiril wanted to scream, he wanted to kick something, he wanted to jump out a window or… he just wanted death.

_I can't live for an eternity without you… I need you, Raphael. I need you._ Tiril forgot about his bitterness, his anger, his hatred… and all that was left was Raphael: the desire to see the Archangel, to touch him and feel him and hold him. Raphael, with his bright smile, his tender eyes that seemed to capture his very soul, his strong arms that always knew just how to hold him…

_Why can't I scream?_ Tiril hung his head in despair. Tiril had been broken.

* * *

_**(Begin Flashback)**_

**Tiril was sitting in a classroom, full of other Angels. They were all talking excitedly amongst themselves, about the obviously trivial things that adolescents find so earth-shattering. The teacher was running late, as usual. **

"**I can't believe he said that about you! What a jerk!!!"**

"**And you know what? I don't care anymore!"**

"**I need to do well on this. Mom almost yanked a myriad of feathers off me, since I didn't get a perfect score on the last exam. I was THREE points away! Just because I'm an Angel, doesn't mean I have to be perfect!"**

"**I was brushing my hair… and I saw that my ends were frayed. I screamed so loud the mirror almost cracked into pieces. Luckily, Daddy was home. So he just used a spell on it. Now my hair can never become tattered again; it's anti-fray!"**

**Tiril let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his green hair. He stood out because of his black wings; they freaked everyone out too much. So he only had a few friends, Angels that would talk to him occasionally. However, for the most part, he was left alone. The lack of companionship in his life made Tiril focus on his studies more than the other kids… which was why he was salutatorian.**

"**Hey, Tiril. How'd you do on the last Mythology test?" A kind voice asked.**

**Tiril turned his head around. It was Geela, the redheaded Angel who had been in most of his classes since they were toddlers. She was quite intelligent… and much more mature than the rest of her friends. She saw past the superficial goals that her peers had. She was easygoing, had a contagious laugh, and she loved to cook.**

"**Perfect score." Tiril answered instantly. **

"**Yeah… I missed perfect by two points. I was kinda disappointed." Geela smiled sadly. Everyone knew how much pressure Geela's parents put on her to be the best. She was most likely the best cook in their grade… but how far could that skill actually get one in the angelic world? Both of Geela's parents were High Angels, so they set their expectations extremely high for their only child. **

**The Angels that were the best of the best would be qualified to become High Angels. And from there, after years and years, a High Angel could possibly rise to even greater heights and become an Archangel (which would probably never happen).**

"**What did you mess up on?" Tiril asked. Personally, he had thought the test was rather easy. Then again, he wasn't being pressured to be the best. Tiril almost laughed. The thought of his mother caring about his grades was ludicrous at best. Actually, the thought of his mother playing any kind of active role in his life-besides striving to make him as miserable as possible-was utterly implausible.**

"**I mixed up on the multiple choice. It was the one with the symbols of Zeus. I put the wrong answer for that one. Then I messed up on the short answer about Perseus." Geela sighed. "Mom was furious with me."**

"**The signs of Zeus are the thunderbolt, bull, eagle, and oak." Tiril recited nonchalantly. "What did you write about Perseus that was incorrect?"**

**Geela quickly wrote down what Tiril said, flashing him a grateful smile. Teachers always gave their tests back, but never went over the answers with them. It was up to the student to figure out what he or she had done wrong. **

"**I'm not sure… I thought I knew everything about him, too. I studied for so long… But the one thing I wasn't sure was Medusa's origins. The requirements for that writing were so extensive and specific." Geela scowled, her silver eyes darkening slightly. "And I thought it wasn't important, because the answer was supposed to be focused on Perseus, not Medusa."**

"**I chose the short answer about Persephone. I do remember reading about Medusa, though. Medusa defiled Athena's temple by having intercourse with Poseidon there. Athena gave her the power of petrifaction, changed her hair into snakes, and transformed her lower body so that she wouldn't be able to have sex again. Athena later helped Perseus kill the gorgon." Tiril stated and Geela wrote down his words.**

"**What a know-it-all. He thinks he's so much better than us." One male spat out. "Geela, why do you even bother to ask him? Isn't it insulting just being near him? Terrific Tiril, with his sanctimonious attitude. The only reason why thinks he's so superior is because of his father."**

"**Raviv, be quiet. I asked him because Tiril is my friend and he's smarter than me." Geela rolled her eyes. Raviv glared angrily at Tiril. Tiril didn't even bother to reply to the blonde Angel. As if he cared about what some idiotic Angel thought of him. "He's being nice by helping me!"**

"**Without your Father, you'd be nothing!" Raviv suddenly stood up, angered by Geela's words. All the Angels in the room turned to the three of them. Everyone knew he had feelings for Geela and how jealous he got whenever Geela talked to Tiril. Oddly enough, he never cared when Geela talked to any other guy.**

"**Raviv, stop it!" Geela exclaimed, her eyes widening. "What has gotten into you?" Tiril yawned and put his chin in his hand.**

"**He's just living off his father's reputation. Can't you see how disgusting he is? Why is he even in our school?" Raviv walked over to Tiril's desk. "Even now, he thinks I'm no better than a maggot, squirming about on the floor. With these wings of black… you should NEVER have been allowed to be in our presence."**

"**The discrimination against my black wings is getting quite old. Couldn't you find something else to hate about me?" Tiril smirked as some students laughed. "Or is that you're simply a sheep… following everyone's ideas and shaping your opinions so that they match everyone else's?"**

"**What did you say?" Raviv's green eyes bored into Tiril's skull. **

"**You're a sheep. A pathetic, thoughtless sheep." Tiril repeated convincingly. "You have no purpose. You'll just fade into the crowd one day. Everyone will forget about you. You, the disciple of conformity."**

**Everyone's jaw dropped. Even Tiril was slightly surprised at how cruel his words were. But he was sick and tired of everyone going on about his wings. He heard enough of that nonsense from his mother. For some odd reason, he didn't feel like dealing with the bigots today.**

"**I'm a sheep, you say?" Raviv let out a laugh, his eyes glowing manically. "You know what you're going to be one day? A Fallen. That's right, a Fallen. Your only purpose is to prove to the rest of the world that nonconformity leads to darkness and despair. And if you honestly think that your Daddy can save you from that fate… you're a fool."**

**Tiril's eyes widened, Raviv's words slashing into his very soul. **A Fallen? **The teen repeated in his mind.** No way. He can't possibly be serious. **It was the first time _anyone_ had referred to him in that way. His mother had never even called him that. But one look up into Raviv's eyes, and Tiril saw just how serious the Angel was.**

"**Raviv, how could you say such a thing?" Geela protested. Everyone else was shocked into wordlessness. "Apologize!"**

"**You can't see it either, but I can." Raviv said bluntly. "The black wings are not the only thing that makes him different from us. It's his attitude, his mentality. He doesn't care about anything. His grades, his powers, his reputation… nothing matters to this one. And that apathy will be his downfall."**

**Geela stood up, stalked over to Raviv, and slapped him across the face. "You swine!" Geela hissed, her silver wings quivering angrily. "Who are _you_ to pass judgment on Tiril? How do you think everyone else will see _you_ now, after you have said such things?" **

**Unfortunately, Raviv's words were an eye-opener for everyone else. They all realized that to some extent, Raviv was being honest. Tiril was an outsider who wasn't at all concerned with the same things that governed their very lives.**

"**Geela, forget it." Tiril stood up, noticing the suspicious looks he was getting from everyone else. It pained him to think that his classmates' thoughts could be influenced so easily by another Angels' words. They were all sheep, in a sense. Tiril walked out of the classroom, just as the teacher walked in. That had been his last day at school. He had never seen any of his classmates-Geela included-again.**

_**(End Flashback)

* * *

**_

Far, far away, in the very depths of Hell, Raphael stood in a dimly lit cave. He knew he was being watched; the very walls seemed to have eyes. The beings with which he had struck a deal were long gone. The ghosts had probably returned to their castle. However, Raphael wanted to make sure they knew how serious he was. He knew they would hear him. He knew they would understand.

Raphael put a hand over his heart. "I swear on my life. Do this for me and I will repay you sevenfold." _I'll save you, Tiril. I promise. I love you… please don't forget that in the hours ahead. _The blonde closed his eyes, his mind already traveling back to Heaven. _I haven't teleported anywhere in ages._

Raphael mentally found the place he was looking for: his bedroom. He was going to go to his study, but figured that all of Heaven was combing through it by now. His bedroom contained the utmost security. No feeble Angel could enter it. But his study? Any riffraff could be in there now. Raphael didn't want anyone to find him. Raphael sighed. His study used to be a place of secret sanctuary; not it was a piece of incriminating evidence.

Raphael concentrated so hard, he could feel his wings shaking slightly. _I need to go to Heaven, my bedroom…_ Raphael thought to himself._ I made it all the way here, surely I can make it back… I can do this!_

Raphael's body emitted golden light and vanished. "If he's that strong, why doesn't he just save the kid himself?" A voice asked after the Archangel had left.

"He knows he cannot break ancient law. The boy must be sent to Hell." Another voice answered. "Come now, we must go."

"I'm guessing a Type Zero should do it." The first voice let out a sigh. "The only thing is, where should we put him?"

"The Tree." The second voice said immediately.

"You're a genius. Well, I suppose that makes sense: you _are_ our Prince." The first declared proudly. "Let us depart to the Tree." The two voices traveled farther and farther away, till they faded into oblivion.

* * *

Raphael opened his eyes and found himself staring Mary straight in the face. He winced guiltily at the disapproving aura radiating around her. "Tiril is being sentenced soon and he has yet to see your face one last time. Furthermore, the entire community is furious at your hasty departure. What is the reason you left? Where did you go?" Mary frowned slightly.

"I'm sorry, Mary. I truly am. As for Tiril, I will see him… one last time." Raphael smiled softly and knew that Mary was less worried now. "Where is he?" _It hurts to say his name out loud. I can't believe how much I miss him._

"In your study." Mary replied, sounding much calmer. Raphael froze, remembering his earlier thoughts.

_I almost saw him… What would he have done?_ "How is he?" Raphael blurted out, trying to blot out the thoughts in his mind. He didn't want to think about it.

"He hasn't spoken a word since he was sentenced." Mary stated, holding her emotions back. "I'm worried about the psychological effect this is having on him. How is he going to survive in Hell alone?"

"Mary." Raphael put his hands on his Twin Flame's shoulders. "Do not worry. I have taken care of it."

"Raphael, you're scaring me." Mary shook her covered head. "I hope you have not done anything foolish." She knew by now that Raphael had gone to Hell. Their bond had been fully restored upon their return.

However, Mary respected Raphael enough not to pry into the Archangel's thoughts. Whatever he had done there would stay in his mind, unless he decided to tell Mary. And judging the confident look in Raphael's eyes, Mary did not want to know what the Archangel had done in Hell.

"I did what was necessary." Raphael said simply. He looked around his bedroom. "A while ago, Tiril and I were lying on that bed together." His very soul cringed at the tragic memory. "We had a fight as usual… and I left for prayer duty. But I came back, I came back and apologized. I love him, I love him so much. And I held him, I held him for so long that I forgot about Prayer Duty, I forgot about my responsibilities to the world, to the Angels and the humans… and I didn't care. All I cared about was Tiril. And in that instant, chaos was brought upon me.

"They came in without warning, as if they had been standing behind the door the whole time. Led by Sariel and Michael. The soldiers yanked us apart, Tiril shouting and cursing, demanding them to let him go, fighting and struggling. And all I could do, as they seized him and dragged him out of here, all I could do was stand there, as Michael lectured me and Sariel gave me that 'I-told-you-so' smile all while Tiril was screaming for me.

"And as soon as his form left my sight, and his screams no longer reached my ears, I fell to the ground, sobbing. I couldn't help myself. They closed the door and left me there. He was gone. He was gone. That's all I could think. And still, I couldn't do anything. I didn't do anything." Raphael held his tears back.

"But now, Mary, I'm _doing_ something." The Archangel continued on, fire in his eyes. "I'm protecting my beloved. And I will not fail."

As if history were repeating itself, a group of Angels burst into the room. They were all armed with spears, wearing helmets, and carrying shields. Fifteen pairs of pure white wings spread themselves simultaneously. These Angels were soldiers of Michael's personal militia.

"Raphael, come with us." Michael himself walked into the room. "You will be imprisoned until after Tiril's sentence is carried out." The Archangel Michael, the leader of all Archangels, was here. His short, red hair was streaked with yellow and orange. His pure blue eyes bored into Raphael's golden ones. He wore a robe of bright red silk. In one hand, he held a beautiful sword that was literally ablaze. The fire's shadows danced across Raphael's face.

Mary's eyes widened. They couldn't do such a thing, could they? Raphael smiled sadly at his Twin Flame as he held his wrists out. Handcuffs were slapped on them. "You said you were going to see him." Mary whispered desperately.

Five soldiers exited the room, leading the way to Raphael's prison. "I will see him." Raphael repeated, an enigmatic look in his eyes. Michael turned on his heel and walked out, but not before giving Mary a gracious nod. Five more soldiers left, following their leader.

"I hope so…" Mary responded, embracing Raphael. "I will return to him."

"Take care of him… until they come." Raphael walked out of his bedroom.

The remaining five soldiers bowed at Mary and then hastily marched out to bring up the rear. _What a sight!_ Mary plopped down onto the bed. _The Archangel Michael, leading the march, in all his majestic glory. The soldiers, prepared to incapacitate Raphael if he resists them in any way. Raphael, being led away by one of his closest friends. How can this be? _

Mary looked up at the ceiling, despite the fact that she could not see through it. "What good will this do? Is this truly your will?" She sighed sorrowfully and rose to her feet. _I must go to Tiril… It is almost time.

* * *

_

Tiril was sitting in a fairly comfortable chair. _It's been a while since I've last sat here. _Tiril smiled to himself. _I remember when I was a kid. I used to sit in this chair all the time, spinning it around until the world spun while I stood still. I would sit at Raphael's desk and bang my hands on it, as if I was someone important, as if everyone had to listen to me, because I had something to say._

**I sense there's something in the wind  
That feels like tragedy's at hand**

Tiril wondered how long Mary was going to leave him alone. Not that he was needy or anything… but the company had been nice. Tiril felt that finally, finally he was willing to accept his fate. He would have to get used to the way things were going to be. He had broken the law, and now he had to suffer the consequences.

**And though I'd like to stand by him  
Can't shake this feeling that I have**

_I'm going to have my wings torn off. I'm not getting them back. I will never be able to fly naturally again. I'm going to be exiled from Heaven. I'm not coming back. I will never return under normal circumstances. I'm going to become a Fallen Angel. I'm not earning to get their forgiveness. I will never regret what I have done. I'm going to forget about Raphael. I'm not caring about him anymore. I will never be in his embrace again._

**The worst is just around the bend…  
And does he notice my feelings for him?**

Tiril smiled, satisfied with himself. He didn't know it, but he had successfully manipulated his own mind. He was lost, lost in every aspect of the word. In reality, Tiril wasn't even there. He was already in his own Hell.

**And will he see how much he means to me?  
I think it's not to be**

_I'm going to forget. That's right, I'm going to forget you._ Tiril almost laughed out loud. _It's almost too easy._ Tiril didn't know that Raphael had committed a odious crime, just for him. He didn't know that Raphael had teleported himself into Hell. He didn't know that Raphael had struck a deal with Kuraishi.

**What will become of my dear friend?  
Where will his actions lead us then?**

_I'm going to live in Hell for the rest of my life. I can do it. Maybe I'll actually make friends there._ Tiril tugged on his hair agitatedly._ I'm not crazy. I'm not. Raphael, I hate you. I'm forgetting you. I CAN live without you. I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy. I don't need you anymore. I will go on. _The Angel stood up and began pacing around Raphael's study.

**Although I'd like to join the crowd  
In their enthusiastic cloud**

_I don't care anymore. I really don't. I'm fine, I'm just fine_. Tiril resolved, pausing in his constant pacing. _I can do this. I actually can. I'll be so far away from Raphael, I won't need to think about him. This is for the best. I never belonged here. I don't belong here with them. I'm not one of them. I am not a sheep._

**Try as I may, it doesn't last  
And will we ever end up together?**

Tiril wiped the remains of tears off his cheeks. _No more tears, no more despair, no more longing, no more anger, no more hatred. I will not care. I never did. I won't. I won't. I won't. I won't trust again. I cannot trust anyone here. I belong in Hell. I should've been born there. _The cluttered study was a relentless reminder of what Tiril was leaving behind.

**No, I think not, it's never to become  
For I am not the one…**

_Love is nothing. It is only for those who are foolish enough to believe in it. I do not believe in love anymore. I never should have._ Tiril sat down on Raphael's desk, as he had many times while they had been there together. _Not anymore. I'm sitting here by myself. By myself. Hell is waiting for me. I will have a purpose there. There are no sheep, no unwavering conformists there.

* * *

_

_**(Begin Flashback)**_

**Tiril, merely a child of seven, sat on Raphael's desk, waiting for the Archangel to return from his meeting. For once, Tiril hadn't been allowed to attend this meeting; usually, the blonde brought Tiril everywhere (despite the fact that Raphael was millennia older than Tiril). Well actually, Tiril wasn't allowed to go to this meeting because-**

**The door burst open and Raphael, accompanied by Michael, walked into the study. "Shouldn't you be in school?" Michael raised an eyebrow, giving Raphael a questioning look. Tiril didn't answer, and instead stared out of the window. **

"**Tiril, did they tease you again today?" Raphael smiled forlornly, strolling over to the boy and putting an arm around his shoulders. "Your wings are beautiful. Never forget that."**

**Michael shook his head. "I forgot how cruel kids can be. Especially here." The Archangel held his hand out and his flaming sword appeared in the air. "Would you like to hold it?" **

"**Sure!" Tiril answered enthusiastically, his orange eyes widening innocently. He glided over to Michael's sword and snatched it out of the air. Raphael let out a laugh as Tiril clumsily slung the sword about. It began spewing magical fire all over the study. Michael chuckled as well, but he was inwardly worried.**

"**Do you think the rumors are true?" Michael uttered to Raphael, while Tiril was distracted with trying to master Michael's sword.**

"**I do not know. I do not believe the Fallen will follow through with their threats. We crushed them at the last battle." Raphael said grimly, remembering the notorious war. **

"**What's a Fallen?" Tiril demanded instinctively, doing a flip in the air and stabbing the wall with Michael's sword.**

"**Tiril, don't do that!" Raphael slapped a hand to his forehead. **

"**He's a warrior, that one." Michael held his hand out and his sword vanished from Tiril's arms. Tiril pouted, but looked at Michael expectantly. He wanted to know. "Tiril… Fallen is short for 'Fallen Angel'. A Fallen Angel is one who rebels against our laws and is exiled to Hell as punishment for it. You know who the first Fallen was, right?"**

"**Lucifer!" Tiril nodded excitedly. "I had a test on him yesterday!"**

"**What did you get on it?" Raphael asked automatically.**

"**Perfect." Tiril rolled his eyes. "I always get perfect scores."**

"**That you do." Michael smiled, shaking his head. **

"**But my teacher never told us what a Fallen was." Tiril frowned suddenly. "I wonder why." **And she gave me a weird look that day, too.

"**Schools these days. They teach the facts, but not the origins." Raphael sighed, turning to look at Michael. "Well, I have to go. I have Prayer Duty."**

"**Oooh yeah… I forgot that it's Wednesday." Tiril giggled as he hopped up and down, bored out of his mind. "Hey, Michael, can we go to the gardens?"**

"**Sure, Tiril." Michael let out a laugh, beckoning to the tiny boy. Tiril let out a whoop of joy and flew over to his second favorite Archangel. **

"**Take care of him." Raphael ordered, crossing his arms over his chest.**

"**You worry too much." Michael put a hand on the boy's messy, green head. "Who would dare touch him while I am present?"**

**As if to defy him, Naophiel strode into the room, her eyes looking more menacing than usual. She took one look at Tiril and struck the boy across the face. The force of her blow was so hard the tiny Angel flew back a few feet. Raphael caught the boy, glaring at Naophiel.**

"**The teacher summoned. You skipped school again?" Naophiel only had eyes for Tiril. She didn't see the furious look on Raphael's face. "Worthless piece of filth!" Tiril's chin quivered and his wings shook.**

"**You only treat me like this because I'm taking Raphael's love from you!" Tiril burst out, tears falling down his face. "You're jealous of the attention he gives me. It's not my fault!" Everyone stared at the boy in shock; it was as if he had read Naophiel's mind. This phenomenon had occurred before.**

"**Naophiel. Leave." Michael wove his hand and Naophiel practically dove out of the room, fearing that Michael was angry with her. "Raphael. It is time we bring the boy to Raziel. He will know of the boy's power." **

"**Who's Raziel?" Tiril piped up, wiping his tears away. Raphael set Tiril on the ground, but not before planting a kiss on the top of his head.**

"**Let's go." Raphael took Tiril by the hand. "Teleport?"**

"**Of course." Michael nodded seriously. **

"**We're teleporting!! No way… Geela is going to be so jealous when I tell her!" Tiril grinned widely, squeezing Raphael's hand. "Will it hurt?"**

_**(End Flashback)

* * *

**_

Tiril stood at the window, staring out at the sky. _My ability is the most useless thing._ _Who would want it? I don't. It's just like me, worthless. _He didn't want to look down. He didn't want to see any other Angels. But if he had looked down, he would have seen Michael, with his fifteen soldiers, leading Raphael away. He would have seen Raphael look up, his golden eyes searching for that _one_ window. He would have seen the desperate look of longing upon Raphael's face.

Tiril sat down on the desk, just like he used to when he was a child. _I'm so in love… _Tiril thought to himself bitterly. _I'm so in love, I'm so in love._ He remembered swinging his legs back and forth during his childhood. He'd swing them and swing them, wings fluttering about, while Raphael would write letters and stamp things and read important documents… The blonde's work never ended.

_I need to forget him. This is ridiculous._ But Tiril knew. He knew that it was impossible to forget someone that he had based his entire life around. _Just forget, Tiril. Just forget. I want to, I really want to. I can forget him. I can._

_Just forget. Forget the way he massaged your shoulders. Forget the way his eyes twinkled when they looked at you. Forget the cocky smile he tossed your way, because he knew how much his presence affected you. Forget the way he teased you constantly. Forget it all, Tiril. Just forget._

_Just forget. Forget the way he sat near you in public places. Forget the way his leg felt, flushed against yours. Forget the way he made you blush whenever he said your name. Forget the way he gave you pencils for school. Forget the way he looked at you, as if you were the only person in the world. Forget it all, Tiril. Just forget._

_Just forget. Forget the way he complimented you on your hair. Forget the way he made your stomach drop. Forget the way he inflamed passion in you, passion you never thought was there. Forget the way he always seemed to have a reason to talk to you. Forget it all, Tiril. Just forget._

_Just forget. Forget the way he made you feel wanted. Forget the way he held you. Forget the way he gently entered you, kissing the back of your neck. Forget the way he loved you, how he structured his very day around you, how you were his number one priority. Forget it all, Tiril. Just forget._

_But I can't._ Tiril confessed to himself wretchedly. _I can't forget…

* * *

_

_**(Begin Flashback)**_

**Michael, Raphael, and Tiril stood outside of Raziel's chamber. It was a circular, stone door with a red zigzag going straight down the middle. "Raziel! Open the door!" Michael ordered instantly, ready to bang on it if he had to. Raziel barely allowed visitors in his chamber. However, today he would.**

**Sure enough, the circular doors wretched themselves open. Tiril stared in wonder as he walked in first, ignoring Raphael's protests. The floor of the room was covered with silver fog. The chamber was a huge room, filled with trinkets and knickknacks and books. They were piled on shelves, desks, and even on the floor. A multi-colored chandelier was hanging from the middle of the ceiling, but it did not produce much light. Half of the chamber was in darkness; the other half was dimly lit. It made the Raziel's dwelling seem even more fascinating, if possible.**

**Tiril flew up to grab a turquoise necklace that was hanging off of the chandelier. "Don't even think about it." A voice uttered curtly and Tiril froze in his tracks. He lowered himself to the floor and scurried back over to Raphael. "Smart child he is. What brings you here today?" **

"**Where's his voice coming from?" Tiril looked around. **Why is he hiding himself? Is he afraid of Michael? I don't think he's scary. Well, when Michael gets mad, he is kinda scary. **There was a thought in the back of Tiril's mind, but he ignored it. Usually he ignored those thoughts, unless he got too emotional and started blurting things out. Like when he said those things about Naophiel. **

"**Raziel, we wish to know of the boy's abilities." Raphael spoke out. **

"**You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" The voice, Raziel, chuckled. The Angel of Mysteries was hiding in the shadows… and he did not wish to be found. "Tiril has an extraordinary rare ability. In fact, he is the first Angel to possess this ability. Tiril is an involuntary, selective telepathist."**

"**I'm a what?" Tiril cocked his head to one side. "I don't get it." Raphael mentally agreed with the boy. **

"**So he can't control what he knows. He doesn't choose it himself." Michael thought out loud, crossing his arms over his chest. "Is that it?"**

"**Allow me to give you an example; it's obvious you can't fathom it." Raziel answered promptly. "Tiril, is there anything you want to say to me?"**

"**Say to you?" Tiril repeated, sounding confused.**

"**Come now, boy. It is time you become familiar with your own abilities." Raziel said impatiently. "Tell me what you were thinking."**

What was I thinking? Does he mean that voice? **Tiril cocked his head to one side.** Well, I'll have to concentrate really hard. Plus, I'm not mad so-

"**You think you're superior to us because we're not as knowing as you are. You feel we're not worthy to look at you, so you're hiding in the darkness." Tiril blurted out rapidly. **

"**Brilliant." Raziel chuckled again. "And quite accurate, too." Michael scowled, losing what little patience he had. **

"**Yes, he's done this before. But what does it mean?" Raphael let out a tired sigh. "Tiril does this at inappropriate times. He once uttered during a meeting that Sariel was following me back home from Prayer Duty, trying to-"**

"**I understand your concern. The boy has no control over what he says." Raziel cut in sympathetically. "Tiril's mind is an intricate, gifted entity, due to his heritage. Normally, a mind reader is a simply a mind reader, but Tiril's gift goes beyond that. He is a manipulative psychic.**

"**Every time Tiril meets someone new or sees something new, Tiril's mind will rapidly take in everything there is to know about that new being or object's existence, be it past, present, or future." Raziel paused to let his words sink in. "Tiril's unconsciousness chooses what the boy will know and rejects all other aspects of the being's life. There, deep in his mind, that piece of information will lie until Tiril acknowledges it. Sometimes his timing will be late; other times he will say the right thing at the exactly right time; and sometimes, he will even say something that will inevitably save you in the future."**

"**But how does his unconsciousness pick what he knows?" Raphael inquired.**

"**His unconsciousness will select information that will indirectly or directly aid himself or the one to whom he is most loyal at the time." Raziel replied wisely. "That would be you, Raphael." **

"**I don't get it." Tiril stated flatly. "That didn't make any sense."**

**Raphael knelt down so that he was eye to eye with Tiril. "Tiril, you have an amazing ability. I understand know. I'm so proud of you." He quickly hugged the little boy to him. Michael smirked and Raphael stood up sheepishly. **

"**What did you mean by… future?" Michael asked suspiciously. **

"**Tiril's ability is somewhat similar to my own. He has the capability to be all-knowing, as I am, but his mind is extremely selective. Tiril will only know what pertains to Raphael and himself." Raziel explained. "For instance, if Tiril was to pass by an Angel who, in the future, would plan to assassinate him or Raphael-"**

"**I would know even though it hasn't happened yet? I would say something about it?" Tiril interrupted excitedly. "I can see the future?"**

"**Yes you can, but only if it affects you or Raphael. Your abilities are selective, specific, and unpredictable." Raziel clarified carefully. "But remember, Tiril… you cannot choose what you know. Do not try and control that aspect of your powers. Appreciate the natural talents that you have been."**

"**So if I met my future wife, I'd get that feeling in my head…" Tiril thought out loud, giggling to himself. Michael snorted, turning around to leave. "But wait… does that mean that after I fall in love, I won't be able to help Raphael anymore?"**

"**It depends on how much you love the other person. If you love the person more than Raphael, then yes." Raziel answered mysteriously. "But… I do not think you need to worry about that." **Even now… the seeds of the future are being planted.

"**Come now, Tiril. Let's go." Raphael gestured to Tiril.**

"**If you really know everything… then you know my future, too, right?" Tiril looked around the messy chamber, home to the Angel of Mysteries. "Can you tell me something?" Michael was standing by the open doors, impatient as always.**

"**I believe you know I cannot. I cannot tell you anything that could-" Raziel started to say kindly. **

"**But if I can say something about the future, why can't you? Pretend you're me… and there's a random phrase floating around in your brain. And you don't know why it's there, but you know it's good and that you should say it." Tiril replied slowly, hoping his words made some kind of sense, unlike Raziel's. **

"**Persistent, are we? Very well…" Raziel laughed out loud. **He's a smart child… I suppose that's worth throwing him a bone. Well, I should skip a few centuries, passing over the era of his life where he's condemned and forced to live in Hell. It's quite odd, seeing him like this, knowing that his body will be reverted back to this same age. He does have quite a lot of fun with the Golden One, Kizura's granddaughter, and the Angel of Hell. Yes, that's an appropriate time frame.

"**You will explore your… creative side and play the drums on stage, with some rather interesting companions." Raziel finally said, holding back his laughter. **

"**I'm gonna be a musician?!?" Tiril shrieked out loud, jumping about in happiness. "That's sooo cool!!! Thanks!" Raphael shook his head, and walked over to the door. **The drums… that's awesome!!!!!!!

"**Remember now, not a word of this to anyone." Raziel ordered. "Leave now." Tiril nodded happily and turned around to go, making Michael sigh with relief. The Archangel stalked out of the room, thanking Raziel quickly. **

**Raziel pitied the boy, knowing how bleak his future was. Well, at least part of it. He sent a telepathic message to Tiril's unconsciousness, knowing that the boy's mind would hold it and store it until the time came for the phrase to be used. **

"**Bye Raziel! Thanks for everything!" Tiril whirled around and waved, despite the fact that he couldn't see the Angel. He was unaware of the fact that this message was buried, locked away inside his psyche: "Facilis est descensus Averni." **

_**(End Flashback)

* * *

**_

_Guess I'll never get to play the drums._ Tiril thought to himself sardonically. Mary burst into the room and Tiril could immediately tell that something was wrong. _Is it almost time for me to go? Are they taking me away sooner?_

"Raphael was… arrested." Mary closed the door behind her. Tiril's eyes widened. He was shocked and confused. "Tiril, Raphael left Heaven and went to Hell. I do not know why, but I believe it had something to do with you.

"I'm sorry… but it does not seem likely that you will see Raphael… again." Mary hated to say those words. "They are holding him until after your sentence is carried out. We have at least two-"

The door flew open, revealing about ten Angels, armed with swords. "What is this? What are you doing?" Mary exclaimed as the Angels stormed into Raphael's study and took hold of Tiril. He didn't fight back. "I still have two more hours with him! It has not been twenty-two hours yet! Unhand him!"

"I apologize. In light of Raphael's arrest, Tiril's sentence has been moved up. We do not know what Raphael is planning." One Angel put handcuffs on Tiril.

It was all happening too soon. Mary almost fainted. "At least let me say goodbye to him." Mary managed to say, stepping out towards Tiril.

"I'm truly am sorry, Mater Dolorosa. We have to leave now." The Angel smiled sympathetically at Mary. He gave Tiril a pat on the back. "Because he's cooperating, I'll request that he's shouldn't have to wear the handcuffs while he's being sentenced." Mary took long deep breaths, trying to keep her emotions under control. She wouldn't cry in front of them. She couldn't.

_So I can wave goodbye at all my friends while my wings are torn off? Oh, wait… I don't **have** any. Gee thanks, Mr. Officer._ Tiril thought to himself bitterly. _I really appreciate you trying to make my imminent demise more comfortable._

The Angels led Tiril out of Raphael's study. One of them closed the door respectfully, leaving Mary to grieve alone. Tiril sighed to himself as he pictured Mary sobbing in there by herself.

_Gee Raphael. You sure picked the best time to commit an offense against Heaven._ Tiril walked down the hallway; ignoring the stares and whispers of the Angels and High Angels he passed by. _And the fun just keeps on coming…

* * *

_

Tiril was in a new, bigger cell. This one was considerably cheerier than his first. For one thing, the walls were made of plaster and they had been painted white. There were tiles on the floor, white squares with blue stripes. There was a window, but there weren't any bars blocking his vision this time. He could freely look out at Heaven… not that he wanted to.

Tiril had been given a rather delicious meal, a luxurious bath, and a new change of clothes. Needless to say, he starting to enjoy his last day in Heaven. _They treat me like royalty so they don't feel as bad while they rip my wings off and condemn me to Hell. _Tiril almost laughed out loud, except he still couldn't make any noise. _This whole losing my voice thing is starting to annoy me._

_I'd like to at least go out with a bang. I don't want to go out with everyone thinking I'm compliant and weak. I want them to know… I don't care. I don't fit into their perfectionist, hypocritical society. I never did. _

Tiril's new cell even had a mirror implanted into one of the walls. _So I can take one last look at my wings, before they go. _Tiril strolled over to the mirror and flapped his black wings around. _Ooh, nice! Look at that span! And that curve… it's to die for! _Tiril blew a kiss at the mirror after admiring his wings. _I'm too gorgeous…_

The whole thing almost made him crack up. _Might as well have fun here._ Tiril shrugged to himself after seeing the guard giving him a weird look. _Yeah, okay buddy. Let's see you cope with what I'm going through. Go back and sit your fat ass down at the desk. Keep on doing nothing_. He rolled his eyes as the guard finally looked away. _What a loser…_

Tiril ran his fingers through his hair. _Should I go sit on my bed again? It's nice and soft. I think I will…_ Tiril sauntered over to his bed and jumped onto it. He relished in the way the covers seemed to hug his body. _They'll be here soon…_ Because of Raphael's arrest, every protocol had been changed. Tiril had to be escorted by a High Angel or an Archangel at all times, unless he was in the cell.

As if on cue, Sariel teleported into the hallway right in front of Tiril's cell. The High Angel took one look at the incompetent guard and started shouting at him. Tiril smiled into his pillow, shaking his head. "Time to go, Tiril." Sariel wove his hand and the barrier that had been set in between Tiril's cell and the hallway deactivated. Tiril stood up slowly, taking one last look at himself in the mirror.

Tiril wore a simple, black robe. It had long, wide sleeves that ended at his fingertips and trailed slightly behind him. The robe had a slight purple undertone when it hit the light. The robe fastened in front with four silver buttons that went down across his chest vertically.

The only decoration on the robe was the four symbols that were emblazoned on it. They embroidered the back of his robe in this fashion: a big, white Ankh in the middle; a golden circumpunct to the right; a left-facing, red Lauburu to the right; lastly, a blue and purple Ouroboros directly under the Ankh.

The symbols meant that the Angel who wore this robe was awaiting punishment and sentencing. Beneath the robe (although it wasn't visible), Tiril wore a plain, long-sleeved black shirt with a pair of loose fitting black pants. The ensemble was completed with a pair of simple, black, lambskin boots that ended just below the knee.

Tiril took a deep breath and walked out of his cell. Sariel put a hand on his shoulder. The High Angel had already explained all of this to Tiril. He would be teleported to Astrum de Platea, where he would walk, escorted by Sariel and soldiers of Michael's guard. Astrum de Platea would eventually lead to Venia de Nullus. Venia de Nullus was a huge shrine seated high, on top of one hundred steps. An open portal, leading directly to Hell, would be behind Venia de Nullus.

"For the time being, your wings will be invisible, so everyone can see the insignia on your back. When you reach Venia de Nullus, they will reappear on your back." Sariel explained carefully. "The sentencing will commence soon after."

Tiril nodded his head to show that he understood. _I hate when he explains everything to me, like we're rehearsing for a freaking play…_ The Angel stiffened when he felt Sariel preparing to teleport them. _So… it begins…

* * *

_

Astrum de Platea stretched out forward, for about a half a mile. It was the name of the road Tiril and his new "posse" would be walking on. It was right in the center of the business district in Heaven; many buildings surrounded the road. The narrow road was made of perfectly-paved, smooth, white stones, equally placed on the ground. The road led to the flight of stairs, and the stairs led to the shrine. Needless to say, it was going to be a long, last walk.

No one else was allowed on Astrum de Platea. There was a barrier around the road, so all the spectators were flocked outside of it. There must've been millions of them, all wanting to see Tiril being sentenced. The noise was deafening.

Sariel would lead the way, being that he was the High Angel and all. Four soldiers would march in front of Tiril and four would march after him. They were currently in that exact order. There was enough space in between each group so that everyone could see the symbols on Tiril's back.

Tiril shuddered, surprised at how many Angels had come to see him. He could already hear some of the Angels jeering and laughing at him. It was a good thing there was a barrier between Tiril and the other Angels… because they certainly would've started throwing things if they had the chance.

_Worthless sheep…_ Tiril crossed his arms over his chest, glowering at **_them_**. _They're all just following what everyone else says. "Hate Tiril! Tiril bad!" _

"I'm astonished, Tiril." Sariel declared. "I haven't seen a turnout like this since Naytievanol was condemned." _So many have come to see one of their own fall…_

Tiril's eyebrows rose at that. _And the compliments just keep on coming!_ Everyone knew the tragic story of Naytievanol. He was one of the first Angels to be condemned. Actually, the whole story behind his punishment had always been unclear and shady.

Naytievanol was the Angel of Vanity who had "committed heinous crimes during and after the Zenith Wars". That was exactly what the textbooks had said, every last one of them. His powers and his body had been taken away and his soul had been sealed away in a cross. No textbook ever said anything more about him.

_I'm surprised I remember…_ Tiril smiled nostalgically. _Another perfect score… _

"Let it begin." Sariel dramatically wove his hand in the air and the crowd started to fall silent. He began walking slowly on Astrum de Platea, towards Venia de Nullus. The soldiers solemnly stomped after him.

Tiril braced himself and began walking as calmly as he could. _I will not shake. I will be strong… and walk with pride. _The doomed Angel thought calmingly. The party unhurriedly strode down the road. Every eye was on Tiril's back. Tiril kept on mentally assuring himself, putting one foot in front of the other.

* * *

Raphael worriedly paced around in his cell. He could tell by the excited, hushed voices that Tiril's walk had begun. _It's almost time… I'm can do this._

**Hold onto me love**

The guards were paying more attention to the huge window across from Raphael's cell than to Raphael himself. A couple of them looked back every now and again, but for the most part, the guards were enraptured with the procession. Raphael just needed to wait a little longer. Then he would implement his plan.

**You know I can't stay long**

Raphael was not stupid. He knew that once he got back from Hell, he would be imprisoned. He had begun to map his plan out as soon as he had reached Hell. Even while Kuraishi was talking to Raphael, the Archangel was forming his plan.

**All I wanted to say was**

_I will not let this happen. Any being who would dare touch my Tiril's wings-be it demon, Angel, or human- will face my wrath!_ Raphael began gathering his energy, which was invisible (unless he willed it to be seen by others). No one noticed the sun's light gradually growing dimmer. No one noticed the wind blowing slightly stronger with each second. Everyone was too busy concentrating on Tiril.

**I love you and I'm not afraid**

Finally, Raphael had enough energy around him. The entire universe seemed to take a deep breath. Raphael shot his hands in the air, screaming out angrily. A gigantic blast of pure solar energy fired up. The entire tower had been blasted into smithereens, along with the other Angels inside. A pillar a solar energy appeared in the sky. Raphael solely floated in the sky, amongst the fire and smoke.

**Can you hear me?**

Raphael heard shocked screams and smiled to himself. Chaos had begun. Raphael clapped his hands and released his wind energy. A crushing shockwave equivalent to the power of a thousand mighty tornadoes blew through the entire business district. Buildings crumbled. More screaming. Wings flapping.

**Can you feel me in your arms?**

Raphael's wings beat slowly, releasing tiny shockwaves of their own with each stroke. Raphael instantly teleported himself so that he was standing right in front of Tiril. Raphael heard the gasps… and everyone stopped fleeing. The same question was going through their minds: "How did he pass through the barrier?"

**Holding my last breath**

Tiril stared at Raphael in shock. The guards stared at Raphael in shock. Sariel stared at Raphael in shock. Tiril was the first to regain his senses. _He's… here. _Tiril could barely breathe. _He exploded the tower… and now he's here…_

**Safe inside myself**

Raphael smirked down at Tiril, but his eyes were slightly saddened. _He still can't say anything… _The Archangel took Tiril into his arms as quickly as he could. _It's been too long, my tiny Tiril… I love you._ Tiril stiffened in Raphael's arms, stunned by this show of affection.

**Are all my thoughts of you**

"Don't just stand there! Get him!!" Sariel shouted out. "As of now, Raphael is the enemy!" The other Angels broke out of their stupor and charged at Raphael. The blonde snorted and merely flicked his wingtip. A lesser shockwave blew all eight guards right off of Astrum de Platea. They tried to get back in, but the barrier would not permit them.

**Sweet raptured light**

"I love you, Tiril." Raphael pulled away from Tiril, but kept his golden eyes on the boy's. "I truly am sorry for what I put you through. I went to Hell, to make preparations for your arrival. I cannot prevent them from sending you there. But I can assure your safety at all times."

**It ends here tonight**

"**Raphael!!!!!!!**" It was Michael… and he sounded furious. The Archangel had been standing in Venia de Nulls when all the pandemonium had started. It was he who was supposed to tear Tiril's wings off and send him through the portal. When Michael saw the explosion in the distance, he thought it had been a feud between two Angels or a possible attack from the Fallen. But when the smoke began to clear and the tower was no longer in sight… Michael knew.

**I'll miss the winter**

"Your new home will be at Okuniya. It is a sacred tree among the ghosts that reside in Hell." Raphael continued on, completely ignoring Michael's shout. "You will always be safe there, I promise you that. I made a contract with Kuraishi."

**A world of fragile things**

_Why would he go through so much trouble just for me? I thought he didn't love me anymore…_ Tiril's body shook. He was going to start crying again. _He loves me… he really does. I'm going to be okay. Maybe… maybe he'll visit me._

**Look for me in the white forest**

"And your wings… will _NOT_ be taken off." Raphael looked away from Tiril at that moment. He looked over in Michael's direction, his eyes filled with malice. "Try and wrench him away from me, Michael! Just try!"

**Hiding in a hollow tree (come find me)**

"Raphael! If you go through with this, we will be forced to sentence you as well!" A new voice called out. It was Gabriel, another Archangel. "Please, stop this! Let the boy be punished for what he has done!"

**I know you hear me,**

Raphael snorted, finally let go of Tiril. But Tiril still stayed close to his lover, using Raphael's chest as back support. Tiril knew that things were very dangerous. He was afraid, afraid that the Archangels were going to start fighting. It would be Tiril's fault. Why was it always his fault? Tears dripped down Tiril's cheeks.

**I can taste it in your tears**

Raphael gently combed his fingers through Tiril's hair. "Don't worry, my love. It's okay." The Archangel flapped his wings loudly. "It is time for me to finally take advantage of my true power. For you see, Tiril, in Heaven: reputation is everything. I have power over them. And I will demonstrate it now."

**Holding my last breath**

_He's really changed…_ Tiril wiped his tears away. _I'm impressed. There's hope for me yet… Well actually, I'm still going to Hell, but at least Raphael-_

**Safe inside myself**

Michael shook his head in disgust. "I always knew the two of you were too close. You see what you have done, Tiril? Do you see why you must be sent away? You have corrupted Raphael so much, that he would betray his fellow Angels just for you!" Michael's flaming sword appeared in his hand. He swiped at the air and a wave of fire shot out, headed straight for Tiril and Raphael.

**Are all my thoughts of you**

"I believe the corruption you are referring to… is love." Mary appeared out of nowhere, standing in between Michael's attack and two men she treasured. Tiril's jaw dropped. As soon as the fire came within a few feet of Mary, a huge barrier appeared around her and dispelled the fire. "Tiril does not love Raphael for his reputation, or his power, or his rank. His love of Raphael runs much deeper than the trivial things that are deemed to be so important in our society. Tiril is the only one here who loves Raphael in that aspect.

**Sweet raptured light**

"Tiril does not put the same pressure on Raphael that we all do. Tiril only expects love from Raphael. That is something that none of us can ever understand. When we look at Raphael, all we see is the grand Archangel whom we place such responsibility and expectations upon. When Tiril looks at Raphael, all he sees is the one that loves him." Mary stated wisely.

**It ends here tonight**

"So you're saying this is our fault?!? For putting too much pressure on him?" Michael repeated furiously, clenching the sword in his hands. "We all cope with the same pressure, even you, Mary. None of us committed such a crime."

**Closing your eyes to disappear**

Raphael lost his patience. "This will be the new sentence: Tiril will be sent to Hell. At the appointed time after the Golden One is awakened, Tiril will be allowed to return to Heaven, alongside the One." Shocked gasps rang through Heaven. The terms were preposterous. Why should a Fallen Angel be allowed to return?

**You pray your dreams will leave you here,**

Tiril raised his eyebrows. _Who's the Golden One? Who are they talking about? _He winced as Michael sent out countless blazing fireballs, all aimed at Raphael and himself. _He's terrifying while he's angry._ Tiril turned his head to look up at Raphael.

**But still you wake and know the truth -**

"You fool… you would threat me?" Raphael chuckled to himself. Tiril watched in shock as the Archangel's eyes turned black. In that exact moment, the universe experienced its first solar eclipse. The world was enveloped in black.

The last thing everyone saw was a black sun outlined in white and hints of red peeking out in between the black and the white. Hysteria was everywhere. Michael called his fireballs back hurriedly. Everything was covered in darkness. Even Mary was shocked into immobility. Actually, nobody was moving because no one could see past their fingertips.

**No one's there.**

Raphael smirked amongst the darkness, holding Tiril closer to him. "Don't be afraid. They will agree to my terms." The blonde said confidently.

**Say goodnight, don't be afraid**

_I can't believe the lengths he's willing to go… just for me._ Tiril smiled fully. It seemed like ages since he had last smiled. Raphael sensed the change in Tiril's aura and squeezed the Angel quickly.

**Calling me, holding me, as you fade to black.**

"Raphael… on behalf of the Archangels and the society of Heaven, I agree to your terms. Tiril will live in Hell until the Golden One is awakened." Michael let out a sigh, shaking his head. "But know this, Raphael. You _will_ be penalized for this."

**(Say goodnight) Holding my last breath**

"My sweet Tiril… we won." Raphael whispered in Tiril's ear. "Now, I must conclude the chapter to your story." Raphael turned Tiril around so that they were facing each other. The Archangel cupped Tiril's cheeks and kissed him. It was a long, dark, desperate kiss, full of hurt and longing.

**(Don't be afraid) Safe inside myself**

Raphael wrapped his arms around Tiril's waist, pulling their bodies as close as they could possibly be. He reluctantly broke the kiss, setting his chin on top of the boy's head. Tiril began breathing raggedly. The Archangel wove his hand and the Moon returned to its original position, revealing the Sun and its legendary light.

**(Holding me) Are all my thoughts of you**

The world was filled with light once more and everyone felt relieved. Michael held back a shudder. That had been an unexpected, frightening experience. Just what would the humans below be thinking? They would probably blame themselves for this catastrophe. He and the other Archangels would surely have their work cut out for them.

**Sweet raptured light**

Raphael began muttering words in a language that Tiril did not understand. Tiril felt lightheaded and sick. His mind was screaming at him that something was wrong, something was very wrong. Then Tiril looked down… and saw that his body was getting smaller. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped backwards in Raphael's arms.

**It ends here tonight**

_I'm sorry, my love._ Raphael knew that Tiril would not last in Hell without him. Heck, there would probably be days where Raphael would want to slit his throat, too. However, unlike Tiril, Raphael had millions of duties to occupy his mind, to pass the time. Tiril did not have this.

**Holding my last breath**

This was also part of Raphael's deal with Kuraishi. Only a pure being was permitted to stay at Okuniya. So Raphael had to use a time-bending spell, a spell to transform Tiril's body to that of his seven-year-old self from the past. Regrettably, Tiril had no say in the matter. Raphael had made the decision without his consent.

**Safe inside myself**

Raphael knew that the spell was not permanent. The spell would break before Tiril returned to Heaven and after the Golden One was awakened. In all honesty, he was afraid of Tiril's reaction. He was afraid of what the Angel would say once he returned to Heaven, fully restored.

**Are all my thoughts of you**

The rest of Heaven watched in shock as Tiril's body began shrinking, from the body of an adult, from the body of a teenager, and finally, to the body of a child, no older than seven years old. Even his clothing shrunk to accommodate his new size. Furthermore, the boy's wings disappeared off his back. This was a safety measure, to make sure no one could tell that Tiril was a Fallen Angel.

**Sweet raptured light**

Finally, the transformation was almost complete. Raphael smiled sadly down at his "tiny" Tiril. Using one hand, he opened a new portal that was directly in front of him. It lead directly to Okuniya, the sacred tree in Hell amongst the ghosts.

**It ends here tonight**

Tiril opened his orange eyes. They were unguarded and innocent, just as Raphael remembered. The boy grinned widely. He didn't know why he was here or what he was doing here, but he knew one thing. "Daddy!!" Tiril squealed out, his eager hands reaching for Raphael. "Are we gonna play?"

**Holding my last breath…**

With tears in his eyes, Raphael completed the last part of the spell. He placed two fingers on his child's forehead and zapped Tiril's brain with his energy. Tiril's memory was wiped clean; his eyes stared up at Raphael blankly. The dazed look on Tiril's face was almost too much for Raphael to bear. Raphael braced himself… and put Tiri inside of the portal. It sucked the boy in with a loud whoosh and vanished into thin air. All of Heaven was silent…

* * *

**CENTURIES LATER…**

Two children sat down in a lush, green valley; a boy with blue wings and a girl with long, sparkled hair. A gigantic tree with numerous red branches stretched out before them. The tree was surrounded by a light purple barrier.

"There was once a tree, the purest tree in all the land. It had never seen violence or iniquity. Humans traveled into the land and cut down the tree. Parts of the tree were used for firewood and others portions were used to create housing. However, one part of the tree was fashioned into an arrow. An archer used this arrow to shoot a demon in the heart.

"The blood of the demon tainted the arrow. As soon as the dead demon fell to the earth, with the arrow implanted in its heart, the arrow sunk into the depths of Hell. The arrow became a single seed during its descent. Okuniya was born into Hell's soil. Its branches were red, signifying the bloodshed in the years to come.

"The seed of Okuniya began to grow in the second era of the world, the Era of Corruption. It grew as a symbol of apocalyptic doom, soon to befall the earth." The boy with the blue wings finished the tale, standing up excitedly. He pointed to the tree before them, Okuniya itself.

"Wow, Raphael…" The girl rose to her feet, shaking her long locks.

"It's been so long…" Raphael smiled sadly. He pulled a necklace out from under his shirt. It was a silver chain with a black brooch attached to it. He held the brooch in the air and the barrier surrounding Okuniya dispersed.

* * *

_**(Begin Flashback)**_

**The same courtroom where Tiril had once stood was now filled with furious High Angels and the Archangels. Raphael sat in front of them all, ignoring their livid slander. Everything had gone according to plan… and his son was absolutely safe. **

"**Naophiel, join him." Michael said darkly and the entire room gasped. Naophiel stood up and walked over to Raphael, glaring hatefully at her husband. "You are just as accountable as Raphael. Would you like to know why you are guilty?" **

"**I'd be pleased to know." Naophiel spat out, her hands balling into fists. "I did nothing wrong. I was not involved in their relationship!"**

"**Exactly." Mary spoke up. She was sitting next to Michael. Her presence had calmed him somewhat. "From the day Tiril was born, you treated him with nothing but disgust and hate. You never cared for him as a Mother should have loved her son. When Tiril was old enough to speak and called you 'Momma' for the first time, you slapped him across the face and told him not to call you anything until he could say 'Naophiel'. **

"**This act traumatized Tiril. From that point on, he did not see you and Raphael as parents, but merely as Angels he lived with. Tiril thought his parents were ashamed of him and did not want others to know that he was their child. This is evident, because as a child, Tiril only called Raphael 'Daddy' while they were alone.**

"**This distortion caused Raphael to bestow more love than he should have had to upon Tiril. By rejecting Tiril, Naophiel, you caused him to run into the arms of his Father, Raphael." Mary paused, allowing her words to sink in. Some Angels in the room were angered by the revelation of emotional and physical abuse Tiril endured.**

"**I never wanted to have a child in the first place! It was all Raphael's idea!" Naophiel protested, growing pale now that all the anger was directed at her. Indeed, the angelic crowd had been influenced by Mary's words. "I was jealous of the boy. I wanted all of Raphael's attention on me… and not some baby."**

"**Raphael, Tiril was bound to fall in love with you eventually, because you were first one to love him unconditionally, despite the fact that you had so many other responsibilities to take care of." Michael continued on. "You crossed the line when you began to fall in love with your son. You developed these feelings because Tiril was the first one to love you innocently and unconditionally, in a way your own wife did not." **

"**Both of you will be punished severely for this." Sariel spoke up and the golden gavel appeared once more.**

_**(End Flashback)

* * *

**_

"I can't wait!" Mary grinned gleefully, running forward towards the Tree. Raphael flew after her excitedly. There, at the base of Okuniya, a single form lay on the earth. The two beings halted in their hurried tracks. "Go ahead, Raphael."

Taking a deep breath, Raphael stepped forward until he was right in front of the sleeping boy. Raphael knelt down, hardly able to believe that after all this time, he was finally able to see his little boy again.

The sun seemed to shine brighter at that moment. Raphael stared upon the countenance of his former lover. Tiril looked exactly like Raphael remembered him. The Archangel trailed his finger from Tiril's forehead, down the bridge of his nose, over his lips, and finally… his fingers rested on Tiril's chin.

Raphael leaned forward and whispered in Tiril's ear: "Wake up, Tiril." The boy pulled back and waited. He watched as Tiril stirred and opened his eyes, taking in the world around him, as if he was a newborn. Well, due to the fact that he had no memory of his life in Heaven, he sort of was a newborn.

Tiril's eyes finally rested onto Raphael's. Orange hair bored into gold for what seemed like an eternity. "Who are you?" Tiril said straightforwardly, not at all bothered by their proximity.

"Raphael. My name is Raphael." Raphael's eyes filled with tears.

"Oh… who am I?" Tiril cocked his head to one side.

"Your name is Tiril." Raphael tried to stop his tears, but they fell down his cheeks. Mary smiled, feeling her emotions taking over her as well.

"Tear…ill." Tiril said slowly, sounding out his name. "Why do I have a sad name?" Tiril asked Raphael curiously. "Do I make people feel ill and tear?"

Mary stepped forward, but not before giving her hair a little shake. "No, Tiril. You don't make people sad." Mary sat down next to Raphael. "I'm Mary."

"Oh. That's good." Tiril smiled brightly. Raphael took a few seconds to compose himself. _I wonder what he's thinking about…_ Tiril thought to himself curiously. Suddenly, he had a weird feeling in his brain. There was something he was supposed to remember… something important. He didn't know why it was there, but it was good. Tiril knew that much.

"Tiril, would you like to come with us to the Forsaken Desert?" Raphael stood up, holding his hand out. "Mary and I have some business to take care of."

"You're tainted!" Mary barked out, glaring at Tiril. She then covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my! It seems that my soul is being tainted already. Raphael, we must hurry." _I am losing control over my free will…_

"Yes, I'll go with you!" Tiril piped up happily, taking Raphael's hand. The blue-winged boy smiled in relief and began walking away. Mary, shaking her head, followed the two long lost boys.

Mary turned around and took one last look at Okuniya. "Thank you, sacred Tree, for keeping Tiril safe." She bowed her head in reverence. The girl then scurried after Raphael and Tiril, before the barrier sprung back up.

The newly formed trio left the presence of Okuniya and the purple barrier shot back up. Raphael didn't look back once and kept Tiril's hand clutched in his own. They walked through the valley without confrontation, for the ghosts knew who was among them.

Raphael suddenly halted in his tracks. Tiril looked up at him, confused, and so did Mary. "This is a gift from me to you." Raphael handed Tiril the magic brooch. "Put it on under your robe." Tiril obeyed, enthusiastically thanking him.

"Perhaps… we should give him a new change of clothes." Mary suggested thoughtfully. Raphael nodded and the trio kept on walking once more, until…

"I'll forgive you!" Tiril blurted out without warning. Raphael froze and his face paled. _Why'd I just say that? I don't get me…_ Mary shook her head, grinning.

Raphael let Tiril's words register in his brain. _He will forgive me… one day._ The Archangel smiled to himself. "Thank you, Tiril." _Maybe one day you'll play the drums.

* * *

_

**And that's it! To those of you confused about the conversing voices heard after Raphael teleported out of the cave, I apologize. Kuraishi is the Prince of the Ghosts, the second voice. I made the voices vague on purpose lol.**

**Next chapter: Shuichi, Suzu, & Tiril go through the cave. Will they save Apollyon? Will they be able to defeat Sasayaku? Is something even more menacing than Sasayaku waiting for them inside the cave? Do they really have to defeat _ALL_ eighty-eight octopuses?!?**


	37. Chapter 26

**Lol. So I took way too long to update, once again. I'm surprised I haven't gotten threatening e-mails. I really thought being a senior was going to be easy... but whatever. Lol on the bright side, I found my prom dress this week!!!! I also got a job at daycare, which is the best b/c I love the kids that work there. The gals I work with are awesome, too. **

**Urg... I'm not sure if this chapter is good. Lol I'll let everyone else be the judge of that. I'm working on chapter 27 as soon as I'm done editing. I'm also listening to Fall Out Boy's single on repeat, which is where the name of this chapter came from. Lol I'm crazy like that. And yes, if you're going to a MCR concert, you're lucky as Hell! Lol I'm jealous.

* * *

**

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:**_

_**"...BUT THE REAL BOMBSHELLS HAVE ALREADY SUNK..."

* * *

**_

Shuichi stood up and looked around him. He was currently standing in a tiny lake that barely reached his shins. It seemed as though the lake was in the exact middle of the cave. To his left was a vastly spacious passage that led into darkness… and to his right was a vastly spacious passage that led into darkness. The inside of the cave barely contained any light. The walls of the cave were rugged, sharp, and jutted out, due to the uneven rocks that made them up.

Shuichi was concentrating on his surroundings so intently, he didn't realize that Tiril and Suzu were mischievously sneaking up on him. "Boo!!!" Tiril leapt onto Shuichi's back and Suzu simultaneously splashed them with water.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!" Shuichi shrieked out, jumping high in the air so quickly that Tiril fell off his back. Suzu expertly caught the Fallen Angel and they burst out laughing together. The half-demon landed with his bottom in the lake, glaring up at his tormentors. "What the heck was that for?"

"You do realize that we could've been one of those octopuses, right?" Suzu raised an eyebrow at the younger male. "It's always important to observe, but you should always be consciousness of what's going on around you." Shuichi's mouth closed, realizing that she was right. Suzu helped the teen up to his feet. "Now let's go exterminate the Octo-Dynasty, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's go!!" Tiril squirmed in Suzu's arms until she set him down. "I've got the barrier!" Shuichi shook his head, but smiled at the boy all the same.

"The only question is… which way leads to Apollyon?" Shuichi frowned, looking in both directions. "Saving him is our first priority."

"Well, considering the fact that he's an Angel, he should know." Suzu put a hand on her hip and poked Tiril in the top of the head. "C'mon, squirt. We don't have all day. Use your angelic sensory powers or whatever you've been divinely endowed with to find your fellow kin."

"I didn't understand half of what you said." Tiril frowned, giving Shuichi a frustrated look. _I like Suzu, but why does she have to be so crazy?_

"Suzu thinks that because you're an Angel, you can sense where Apollyon is." Shuichi explained gently.

"Thank you, my fellow thesaurus!" Suzu slung an arm around Shuichi's shoulders and squeezed him. "Now, like I said. Use your-"

"He's that way." Tiril proclaimed immediately, pointed to the right. Suzu smiled, ruffled Tiril's green hair, and began splashing her way to the right. Shuichi held a hand up to keep the water from hitting him and Tiril. "You're so cool, Shuichi; you're anti-spray!"

Tiril suddenly stopped walking, covering his mouth suddenly. _Anti-spray…_ His mind felt funny. Why did those harmless words seem so ominous to him? What was it about those words that stirred something so deep inside him? But, no, wait. It wasn't the words that affected him… it was the sound.

Suzu and Shuichi turned around, looking down at the boy expectantly. "I'm okay." Tiril fibbed, flashing his first fake smile in centuries. Both Suzu and Shuichi seemed to fall for it; they didn't question him. "Sorry, let's keep going."

_Something's bothering him…_ Suzu crossed her arms over her chest as she walked ahead. _It's odd, though. He's a Fallen Angel and I'm positive there's absolutely no record of him. I've never heard of him before._

The trio left the wet, shallow lake and started walking on the dirt ground. The very walls seemed to poke out at them menacingly. The cave was so deep underground, Shuichi couldn't see the ceiling. It frightened him a bit.

After walking through the same passageway for about twenty minutes, the group became somewhat uneasy. There were no signs of life; no octopuses had attacked them. There was no sound in the cave except the sound of their feet. The dimness of the cave didn't help ease the tension either.

"Are you sure you picked the right direction?" Suzu grumbled, running a hand through her highlighted hair. "Are you old enough to know left from right?"

"Hey!" Tiril protested, pouting miserably. "Not fair!" Shuichi laughed out loud, but ceased as soon as Tiril glared up at him.

"Don't worry, Suzu. All the passageways lead to the center of the cave." Shuichi pointed out. He heard a rustling behind him and his eyes widened. Suzu winked at him and put a finger to her lips. They kept on walking as if nothing had happened. This whole incident went unnoticed by Tiril.

"You **_said_** our first priority was saving Apollyon." Suzu retorted, rolling her eyes. "How do we know he's in the same area as Sasayaku?" She began summoning her fire energy. _I wonder how many of them are following us?_

"Why _wouldn't_ Apollyon be near Sasayaku?" Shuichi challenged the demon. "If my posse kidnapped someone important, I'd make sure to keep him near me!" He began envisioning five tiny bubbles in his mind.

"Why is it that masculine terms are always automatically put in sentences?!? You sexist pig!" Suzu screamed out at Shuichi, getting into their game. "I'm so sick of you and your 'I'm-the-tragic-half-demon-so-everyone-pity-me-and-let-me-get-away-with-everything' attitude!"

Finally, Shuichi couldn't take it anymore. He didn't care if there were a million demons around them. He _still_ had to laugh until he was literally out of breath. Suzu snorted, holding back her laughter as well. Tiril just looked at both of them, wondering if Raphael had made a mistake in entrusting him to Shuichi.

"Ready?" Suzu giggled, shaking her head.

"You betcha." Shuichi smirked seriously. There was no laughter in his tone.

"Huh?" Tiril raised his eyebrows and looked up at his guardians. It happened in a split second: Suzu jumped forward, blasting what seemed like plain old darkness with a stream of fire. Shuichi jumped backwards, attacking the air with five cyclones. "What's going on here?!?"

Finally, when the all the rubble had settled and the smoke had cleared, Tiril saw them. The group had been encircled by about forty octopuses, twenty on each side. For some reason, the octopuses that Suzu attacked looked more damaged and the ones that Shuichi attacked looked unscathed.

The octopuses were all reddish orange with beige underbellies and red, beady eyes. They all had pirate hats and black eye patches. They were about three feet and each held one wooden spear with a metal tip in one of their eight arms.

_Just as I thought… water has absolutely no effect on them._ Shuichi scowled and turned his head to look at Suzu. But it seems like Suzu's fire attack did more damage than it should have. Some of the octopuses she attacked were missing limbs.

"The octopuses immersed themselves in their own black ink in order to hide themselves. Their ink contains an accelerant." Tiril blurted out unexpectedly, his orange eyes widening. _How'd I know that?_

"God, I love this kid!" Suzu pranced over and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "You're a genius!" The octopuses began to make rumbling noises.

_That explains it…_ Shuichi smiled in relief. _So the only thing I did was wash the ink off of them. Demon octopuses are certainly smarter than the ones back in the human realm. As a matter of fact, I don't think human octopuses have an accelerant in their ink. Isn't it just a defense mechanism for them?_

"So then, Shuichi, you know what we have to do, right?" Suzu grinned evilly. Shuichi smiled and nodded. As if on cue, all the octopuses dove at the trio.

Tiril instinctively put his brooch on the ground. All the octopuses were blasted away. "Good job, Tir!" Suzu whooped with joy. "Hurry up, Shu!"

"Does she want all of us to have short names like her?" Tiril cocked his head to one side. Shuichi smirked, but held his laugh back. He held his hands out, concentrating on the flammable ink.

_The ink is everywhere… it is in their bodies… it is on the floor… it is on the walls…_ Shuichi thought to himself. _Ink, ink, ink._ Suzu and Tiril watched in amazement as the octopuses began spewing out black ink at each other. It was obvious that the octopuses were doing it against their own will.

Soon, every octopus was covered in black ink once again. "Your turn, Suzu." Shuichi finally opened his purple eyes, staring at his companion intently. "Let's give Sasayaku a little message."

"Tiril is here; you have **_EVERYTHING_** to fear!" Tiril shouted out loudly. Suzu pushed her hands together in front of her, as if she was praying. Golden energy began radiating off of her in somewhat circular motions. The octopuses began attacking the barrier with their spears. Their attacks were fruitless and they often ended up hitting each other, because they were all blinded with ink.

Finally, Suzu opened her eyes and folded her fingers down so that they were in between her knuckles. She then bent her folded hands forward, pointed her thumbs up, and her index fingers forward. It was as if she was pointing a gun straight ahead of her, except the gun consisted of four fingers.

"Ha!" Suzu shouted and a horizontal fire tornado emitted from her fingertips. It passed through the barrier without damaging it. It hit all of the octopuses at once and the result was catastrophic. For every time the fire touched an octopus, an explosion was instigated, due to the accelerant in their ink (which currently covered all of the octopuses).

Tiril covered his ears to try and blot out the noise, but it didn't help any. Fire and destruction were everywhere and the boy was terrified. Shuichi picked Tiril up and pet his head. Finally, the bangs ceased and the fires began to extinguish themselves. Tiril opened his eyes and looked around him in shock.

There was no sign that the octopuses had even been there. There weren't even any ashes left, no remnants of metal from their spears… nothing was left but them. Even the walls and the floor had been scorched. Suzu sighed loudly and wiped her forehead.

"You just killed forty demons with one attack." Shuichi stated in shock.

"Forty one if Sasayaku goes into cardiac arrest." Suzu replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Now we've got work to do. That attack is hard to execute, but we've taken a big chunk out of their forces. I didn't do all the work; I merely amplified my attack with the accelerant. And I wouldn't have been able to do that if you hadn't extracted the ink from their bodies. Not to mention the fact that if the barrier wasn't here, neither of us would have been able to concentrate.

"_We_ just killed forty demons." Suzu finished wisely, looking at the boys.

"Beware the power of Tiril!" Tiril leapt from Shuichi's arms and puffed out his chest proudly. He began pretending to flex his nonexistent muscles.

"And Shuichi, too!" Shuichi punched the air happily. "I'm awesome!!"

"Damn straight." Suzu laughed. "Now let's go." Tiril picked up the brooch and put it back on. The trio kept on walking through the dark cave, knowing that they had made their presence known… together.

* * *

Shuichi was happy because he, alongside Tiril and Suzu, would successfully save Apollyon. _I missed him… and he'll be so proud of how strong I've become. _The three of them were a team. A very compatible team, as a matter of fact. _There's nothing we can't do._ The half-demon relished in the memory of their latest battle. 

Their Ink Removal/Protective Barrier/Offensive Fire Attack (as Tiril had aptly named their quite victorious strategy) had worked out perfectly against the three octopus lieutenants they had faced along the way.

"Ch, these guys are all weaklings!" Suzu had jeered while Shuichi had been taking the ink out of the octopuses. Indeed, the only difference between the soldiers and the lieutenants was that the latter group was taller and held swords instead of spears. It had been rather easy defeating them and the trio had continued on as if nothing had happened.

Now, the group was still on the same path, but both Shuichi and Suzu could feel the demonic energy growing stronger with each step they took. They knew that they were nearing Sasayaku, and the remainder of his forces.

Tiril, on the other hand, could feel Apollyon's presence. It was just as Suzu had said. Unfortunately, he could tell they needed to hurry. Apollyon's life dwindled with every second that went by. _There's only three of us… how are we all going to take on forty-something octopuses?_ The Fallen Angel sighed to himself. He wished he knew what to do. Plus, he didn't have that feeling in his head, so he couldn't randomly say something incredibly helpful.

Finally, the trio saw an opening in the cave wall up ahead. The group could tell that the inside of the cavity was well light. They could hear voices as well. Shuichi was practically shaking with anticipation. He would see Apollyon again. He made it. _I'm close, I'm so close…_

"Too bad we can't see through walls." Tiril muttered to himself.

"Sh!" Suzu hissed at the boy. Shuichi rolled his eyes as they crept along the wall, trying to keep themselves hidden in case an octopus exited the cavity. At last, they were a few feet away from the opening. Light poured through it and Shuichi could detect the faint odor… of alcohol. There was another stench in the air, but Shuichi couldn't tell what it was.

"You smell that?" Shuichi muttered to Suzu.

"Yeah… seems like they're having fun in there." Suzu narrowed her eyes. "When do we bust in?" Tiril sniffed the air around him.

"Now would be a good time…" A soft, sinister voice said from behind them. The three beings whirled around in shock. Tiril's hand reached up to get his brooch. "Don't even think about it." A snapping sound was heard and the trio was thrown into the lit notch in the cave.

Shuichi was the first to stand. He remembered what Suzu had told him earlier. He used one eye to explore the vicinity… and the other to make sure no one was creeping up on him. They were in an enormous, circular room that consisted of stone walls, a stone floor, and a rather interesting ceiling. The huge ceiling stretched upwards so that it looked like an upside down ice cream cone.

Shuichi noticed that despite its distance from the ground… the ceiling was actually visible. That meant one thing: this was the exit. Sasayaku was here. There was a huge, wooden structure that stood upright in the distance, but the half-demon couldn't see what it was. It didn't help that the "thing" was partially covered with a red sheet.

The room had wooden benches placed around it. Mugs dripping with alcoholic beverages were scattered about them. The tables were filled with octopuses that held multiple mugs with their many legs. Alcohol was on the floor, on the table, and on the octopuses… it was a disgusting sight. For some odd reason, none of the octopuses were even looking at them. It was as if they were invisible.

"It's so good of you to come and visit! We rarely get company here-being that this labyrinth is nearly impossible for demons to find-but nevertheless, we shall welcome you with _open_ arms!" Upon hearing the menacing voice, Shuichi whirled around, as did Tiril and Suzu. What stood before them was so surprising, so unexpected, so…

"What the **_BLOODY HELL_** are you doing here Colin?!?" Suzu pointed at the blonde vampire, who was still wearing ridiculously bright clothing.

"Is that any way to speak to your main adversary?!?" Colin screamed back at Suzu. "Cower in fear of me, vile Jezebel!!!!!!"

"You have got to be kidding me…" Shuichi smacked himself in the forehead.

"Ha ha ha!!!! Did you forget my words, foolish maggots?" Colin laughed manically. "I told you people I was going to sell you to the Octo-Dynasty! I have already spoken with Sasayaku! We happen to have much in common. I found this cave _light years_ before you fools came upon it and have been anxiously awaiting-"

"You followed us here." Tiril said flatly, causing Suzu to snort. "You've never even met Sasayaku before." Colin paused in his tirade, his face growing red.

"What do you know about me, little boy?" Colin peered down at Tiril, who stared up at him with ferocity.

"Leave him alone!" Suzu ran forward and punched Colin in the nose. Colin let out a screech and fell onto his knees, wailing in agony.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!? My nose… my beautiful nose…" Colin was in tears, his hands over his bloody nose. "I hope Sasayaku kills you… just like he killed the other visitors…"

"What other visitors?" Shuichi demanded. "What are you talking about?"

"I've got my sources, see? I know people." Colin was back to his smug self, after healing his nose and removing the blood from his face and clothing.

"Want me to break your nose again?" Suzu asked dangerously.

"Ch, I'm only leveling the playing field. Might as well throw you losers a bone…" Colin smiled to himself. "I'm so much more superior than you… it's quite pathetic actually. I mean, a whole team of demons, sent by Akuma himself stormed in here not too long ago. Sasayaku killed them all, boiled their remains… and mixed them with alcohol. You see that 'juice' they're drinking? That's actually all that's left of those demons…"

Suzu's mouth dropped open in shock. "So many demons came… that their remains could provide drinks for all these octopuses?" The demon gulped, watching an octopus slurp down its drink. "That's disgusting."

"Oh yes, it is. I wonder… what will your remains taste like?" Colin sneered at Shuichi. "Will they be sour like my throat? Or sweet like my personality?"

"Why aren't they looking at us?" Tiril turned to Suzu, frowning slightly. "You and Colin were shouting like crazy… and they all just kept on drinking."

"Oh ho ho!!! I see my ingenious spell of invisibility has gone unnoticed by even the Fallen Angel!" Colin cackled again. "Once again, my brilliance surpasses yours… I tell you… I think I've outdone myself this time."

_He made us invisible?_ Shuichi frowned curiously. _So he isn't as weak as he looks. I'm guessing his spell prevents the demons from hearing us as well._

Suzu let out a sigh. "That's lovely and all… but where is Sasayaku? We've got an Angel to save!" The female looked around the room.

"Ah yes… in order to do that, you must defeat me." Colin smiled caustically. "If you do not defeat me, I will remove the spell. It will be quite impossible for you to save Apollyon once you have been discovered."

"We don't have time for this!" Tiril shouted in protest. "Apollyon is dying!"

Shuichi's jaw dropped and Suzu's eyes widened. "What??" They shouted simultaneously. Shuichi began mentally panicking. Where the heck was Apollyon?

"Hahahahaha!!! All the more reason why you should hurry!" Colin burst out laughing, throwing his head back in ecstasy.

"You do realize that if Apollyon dies because **_you_** delayed us, you will be committing an offense not only against Hell, but Heaven as well." All the humor in Suzu's tone was gone. She looked dead serious. Her purple eye was now red with fury. "And believe me, the Angels would like nothing more than to scoop you up and torture you for the rest of your pathetic afterlife."

Suzu stalked towards Colin, who was backing away in fear. "Shuichi, find Apollyon. Tiril, when Shuichi finds him, put a barrier up around the both of you." The demon turned around once to stare each boy in the eye. "Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Tiril saluted Suzu. Shuichi took off, using Colin's spell to his advantage. He crept about the room, looking for any sign of Apollyon. Suzu continued walking over to Colin, who looked as scared as a bunny surrounded by dragons.

"I'M HOME CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A loud, booming voice shouted out, causing the entire room to vibrate. Shuichi and Suzu froze in their tracks. Colin was so relieved that he passed out, smacked his head against the edge of a table on his way down, and plopped down onto the ground in a rather awkward position.

"He's here…" Tiril whispered ominously.

_Where is he?_ Shuichi looked around rapidly. _I can sense his power… How strong is he?_ For the first time since Shuichi had entered the cave, he actually felt real fear, fear that had taken him by the ankles and turned his entire body upside down. He knew now that this was a test. Could Shuichi defeat him?

"WHAT'S THIS- INTRUDERS IN MY HOME?!?" The voice continued on, causing the mugs on the tables to spill over. All the octopuses halted in their tracks and leapt off their seats. Colin's body began glowing red and he convulsed violently, despite the fact that he was unconscious.

Suzu cursed to herself, already knowing what the voice was doing to Colin. "Shuichi, come over here!!" Suzu ran towards Tiril. The Fallen Angel instinctively took the brooch off his neck. Shuichi began hurrying back to the both of them.

"IT IS TIME TO END THIS FOOLISHNESS!!!" An explosion of white light filled the entire room. The tables were blown away, but the wooden structure stayed put. Shuichi found himself being thrown into the air from the force of the blast and as he fell back down, about five octopuses grabbed him with their legs.

Shuichi began shouting and writhing in protest as his body was hoisted into the air. A tentacle slithered across his mouth and muted him. Another wrapped around his eyes so that he couldn't see. Shuichi began panicking and struggling with more intensity than before.

_They can see me now…_ Shuichi thought weakly to himself. The tentacle covering his mouth was making him nauseous. It reeked of things the half-demon didn't even want to fathom. Another leg enveloped his waist. Shuichi could no longer move. Everything seemed hopeless.

_I can't die here! Not now!_ Shuichi shouted in his head. _Apollyon needs me! I made it all the way here… I can't lose now! _Shuichi began imagining all the octopuses around him and the liquid that encompassed their bodies…

* * *

**Okay, so that's it. The next chapter, 27, is entitled: Horobosu. Lol see Shuichi run. See Shuichi fight. See Shuichi kill. All while Horobosu lurks about, waiting for the opportune moment to strike and avenge his brother. **

**Let me know how it was!! Did you love it? Hate it? Was it okay? Please review!**


	38. Chapter 27: Horobosu

**Well this chapter didn't take me long to write, once I sat down at the comp and typed it. Lol yes, it's been like two weeks since my last update. Happy St. Patrick's Day! **

**This chapter has some gore. I'm surprised at how this chapter progressed... I honestly didn't know this was going to happen. We've got some wicked fighting scenes coming up. Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

**

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:**_

_**HOROBOSU

* * *

**_

Shuichi breathed deeply through his nose, forcing himself to calm down and concentrate on the octopuses that were holding him. _I can do this… I can do this… I am strong. I AM STRONG!_

All the octopuses restraining Shuichi began writhing in pain. Then, all of their bodies imploded, spraying blood everywhere. Shuichi plopped to ground, breathing heavily, as blood and tentacles rained about him. He had mentally pictured the blood that was inside of the octopuses bodies' and literally made it boil. Eventually, the demons imploded.

"HA HA HA! SEE THE LITTLE BOY SQUIRM?!? I LIKE IT! KILL HIM!" The voice boomed out, causing Shuichi to jump up, looking wildly around him. He saw Suzu fighting off octopuses and Tiril behind her, safe in his barrier. A parade of octopuses was headed straight for him.

The entire room was the epitome of chaos… and Shuichi was in the core of it. He was surrounded; he was being overtaken again. Suzu was blasting the demons with fire left and right and there was no sign of Sasayaku anywhere.

_I must look like a monster again… covered in blood._ Shuichi's shoulders rose up and down. _Kill… kill… _Shuichi let out a wild scream and dove at the nearest demon, punching it across the face. He began punching and kicking and screaming, not bothering to use his head.

"Shu, calm yourself. If you lose control of your demonic energy, you'll regret it." Suzu instructed without turning around. "That technique you used earlier works. Use it instead."

Shuichi froze and shook his head, taking deep breaths. _She's right… I almost lost it. I panicked. I can't do this here. Not now. Not when Apollyon's life is at stake!_ The half-demon looked at the girl. "Suzu, I'm going into the barrier. I need to concentrate. Can you hold them off?"

"Yeah, but hurry up!" Suzu shouted back, grateful that Shuichi was using his head again. Shuichi nodded and ran into the barrier.

"Shuichi, are you okay?" Tiril's innocent eyes widened. He was completely unharmed and Shuichi hugged him for a second.

"I'm fine." Shuichi let the Fallen Angel go. He closed his eyes and began focusing on the demons that were surrounding Suzu. He had to do this quickly, or her life would be in danger.

"I wanted to fight… but Suzu made me stay in here." Tiril smiled sadly, looking out at Suzu taking on about thirty octopuses at once. _She can't fight on her own for long…_ Suzu was putting up a good fight, but her numerous opponents were beginning to get the best of her. The only thing Suzu had left was her speed, because if just **_one_** tentacle bound her… countless more would follow.

"That's because if one of us gets hurt, we need a place to recuperate." Shuichi answered quickly. He started to picture all the blood running through the demons' veins. It was what kept them alive. It was getting hotter and hotter… unbelievably, uncontrollably scorching.

Finally, Shuichi heard the splatters and opened his eyes. Once again, the floor became covered with blood and body parts. Tiril whimpered and closed his eyes as oozing tentacles landed on the barrier, painting blood all over it. The barrier automatically electrocuted the body parts and they plopped to the ground, crackling where they lay.

"You're going to be fine, Tiril." Shuichi knelt down so that he was eye to eye with the little boy. "Remember, I'm here to protect you."

"I guess so. I'm allowed to be a little scared, though, right?" Tiril smiled nervously. Suzu burst into the barrier, the identical octopuses slithering after her. They were all simultaneously electrocuted and thrown back, but only a few of them died. "Hi Suzu!!" The remaining octopuses stationed themselves outside the barrier.

"Hey there…" Suzu sat down, taking in oxygen as fast as she could. "Good job, Shuichi. You took about half of them out. We've got about fifteen more to go. But one thing is bothering me: Sasayaku still hasn't shown himself. We've heard him speak a couple times… but he hasn't shown his face-"

"He's trying to tire us out with his troops, so that when he shows up, we'll be too exhausted to fight him at our full strength." Shuichi finished, taking the words out of Suzu's mouth.

"Full strength… yeah, that clocked out a few minutes ago." Suzu smiled sheepishly, wiping sweat off her forehead. "But we'll figure something out. Tiril, can you still sense Apollyon?"

"Yeah… he doesn't seem to be dying anymore." Tiril responded thoughtfully. "It's weird…"

"So… Sasayaku being here is keeping him alive?" Shuichi wondered out loud. _Aw, what do I know about that? The only thing I do know is that we need to quickly get rid of Sasayaku's remaining troops and then go for him!_

"We don't even know if Sasayaku is here… we've only heard his voice so far." Suzu pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest.

"OH HO HO!!!" Sasayaku bellowed, causing all three beings to freeze. "WHAT A BARRIER THIS IS… LET ME CRUSH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The walls crackled at the intensity of his voice. The ground beneath them shook violently. "MY CHILDREN… STAY STILL!!!!"

Tiril gulped and looked up. He let out a shrill scream upon seeing what was silently plummeting down towards the barrier. Shuichi looked up and his jaw dropped. Suzu almost passed out.

Sasayaku was completely black octopus about the size of a two-story house. His tentacles stretched to about forty or fifty feet. Millions of designs and insignias had been inscribed all over his slimy flesh in blood red ink. It looked as though someone had planted two golden boulders where his eyes should have been, because they were huge, round, and lacked pupils. The demon's mouth was a thin line, but numerous fangs were seen poking out of the cavity.

Interestingly enough, there were no suction cups _anywhere_ on Sasayaku's extremely long arms. However, he was holding a colossal weapon in one of his arms: a thick metal spear that wasn't too long when compared to the length of the demon's arms. A golden anvil headed the spear and it twinkled at Shuichi as Sasayaku plunged nearer and nearer towards them.

Suzu was the first to break out of the contagious stupor. "We have to get out of here- NOW!!!" Suzu picked Tiril up by his waist and dashed out of the barrier.

"Are you crazy?!? Put me down!!!" Tiril's shouting made Shuichi jump, bringing the teen back to reality. Shuichi dove out of the barrier just as the golden anvil smacked the barrier with a mighty clang that rang throughout the entire room. The force of Sasayaku's attack tossed Shuichi's tiny body into the air.

Golden light filled the entire room for a few seconds. The piercing clank startled Suzu so much that she dropped Tiril so she could cover her ears. Tiril followed suit, but not before hooking an arm around Suzu's leg.

And then… they all heard it. The sickening crack. Shuichi opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground behind an overturned table. He stood up and watched in shock as Tiril's trusty barrier-the barrier that no one had yet to surpass- crumbled into shards of bluish purple particles and disintegrated into the air. Tiril's brooch lay feebly on the ground.

Sasayaku let out a roaring laugh, causing Suzu to cover her ears again. Now on the ground, the octopus practically took up half the room. Shuichi raced over to where Suzu and Tiril stood. The three of them braced themselves against the stone wall. It was the only security they had at the moment.

"You're both okay, right?" Shuichi demanded breathlessly.

"No… this is probably a bad time to tell stories, but my mother is a dog demon." Suzu rubbed her ears, wincing slightly. "My father wasn't, but that doesn't matter. The thing is… my ears are much more sensitive than yours. I wouldn't be surprised if his anvil broke my anvil…"

"I want my brooch back." Tiril said stubbornly, glaring up at Sasayaku. "It was a gift from Raphael and it's important."

"Tiril, right now we have to concentrate on staying alive!" Shuichi shouted at the boy. _Crap… and now that Sasayaku broke the barrier… one of us has to protect him. This is NOT going to be easy at all._

"I don't care!" Tiril turned his cold gaze on Shuichi… and ran out into the open, where about fifteen octopuses were waiting for him.

"Tiril!!!!!!!!! No!!!!" Suzu and Shuichi screamed out, running after him.

_He sure picked the worst time to go psycho on us… stupid kid._ Suzu growled as she pumped her legs faster and faster.

An octopus reached out an arm to grab Tiril, but the Fallen jumped in the air and kept on moving towards Sasayaku. Shuichi grabbed the octopus and flung it into the air. Suzu blasted it with fire and it fell to the ground, dead.

"Tiril, come back!!!!!!!!!" Shuichi shouted in protest, but Tiril ignored him. Three more octopuses dove at Tiril. They wrapped their arms around him and held him in place. Tiril growled and released his fangs. His sharp teeth tore right through the arms and he kept on going, his red eyes fixed on his destination.

"YOU WANT THIS BACK, BOY????" Sasayaku bellowed, holding back his laughter at his miniscule opponent. He clonked the spear on the ground, sending a gust of wind Tiril's way. The brooch was on the ground near the massive spear.

The Fallen Angel was thrown high into the air, due to the powerful wind. His boy was aimed straight for the wall. Shuichi's eyes widened and he shouted out Tiril's name. Suzu looked up and screamed, knowing that no matter how fast she could fly, she could never reach Tiril at her current strength. Still, she took off as fast as she could, despite the fact that her body was shrieking at her in protest.

Tiril turned around and saw the jagged rocks of the wall reaching out to him. His red eyes flashed for a second and time seemed to stop. His body released a rainbow of colors that swirled around him, holding him in place. The colors shot out everywhere, zooming about the room. From where Shuichi was standing, it was as if a rainbow had exploded all around Tiril.

The colors flew right through Suzu… and her body was completely healed. The light gently carried Suzu back to the ground so that she was standing next to Shuichi. The light then traveled to Shuichi, healing him as well, but for the remaining octopuses? They were all killed upon impact of the light.

"WHAT IS THIS??????" Sasayaku howled furiously, upon seeing that all of his subordinates had been vanquished.

All the colors zoomed back up towards Tiril. They formed a brightly colored image, high above his head: two gigantic wings. The multicolored wings floated back down to Tiril and entered his body. White light obscured everyone's vision.

When all the light cleared away, one sound resonated throughout the area: the beating of wings. Sasayaku, Shuichi, and Suzu looked up in astonishment. Tiril was hovering in the air; he hadn't moved an inch. His menacing, red eyes glared down at Sasayaku.

Tiril's majestic, black wings didn't reach that far, because he was so small. They were sharp, sleek, thin, and delicate. The right edges of his wings curved outwards in one direction and the left edges hooked and curved in many directions. The Fallen Angel grinned, his fangs quivering in excitement.

"You're going to give it back!" Tiril shouted out, literally diving at Sasayaku, or rather… the spear the demon held in his hands.

"I don't believe it…" Suzu was still rooted to the spot she stood.

"What is it?" Shuichi turned to his companion.

"Someone put a seal on his wings. And he just broke it." Suzu replied slowly, her eyes still stuck to Tiril's flying form. "And that was no weak seal either. Someone powerful put it there." _That wasn't a demonic seal either… an Angel put it there. Who **is** this boy?_

"Who cares who put it there? Let's go fight!!" Shuichi ran at Sasayaku as fast as he could, which was incredibly fast now that his energy had been restored. Suzu frowned slightly, but flew in the air towards Sasayaku.

_He's strong… too strong. He'll draw attention to himself_. Suzu thought intuitively as she soared on. _And if the "Raphael" he mentioned is the Raphael…_

Tiril reached Sasayaku first, eyes gleaming with malice. He soared about the spear, flying down and down in a spiral around it.

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH IT!!!!!!!" Sasayaku roared at Tiril.

"Pay attention to who you're fighting!" Shuichi snapped back, releasing a bunch of tiny bubbles into the air. "Suzu!! Let's go!"

Suzu shook her head, chasing her earlier thoughts out of her head. Now was the time for battle. The demon dove down and under Shuichi, so that the boy was now on her back. Suzu then zoomed up as fast as she could towards Sasayaku's head. Shuichi crinkled his forehead in concentration.

"If he has that accelerant in him, extract it." Suzu ordered quickly.

"One second." Shuichi replied calmly. Tiril finally neared the ground and stretched his arms forward. He was going to get his brooch back.

"NOT IF I FLATTEN YOU FIRST!!!!!!!" Sasayaku took his spear off the ground and aimed the bottom of it at Tiril's little body. The octopus brought the spear down rapidly, ready to crush the boy.

Tiril looked up and saw the metal pole headed straight for him. His speed increased tenfold in a fraction of a second. He snatched the brooch off the ground and was zooming up towards Suzu and Shuichi before the spear met the ground. When Tiril saw that he wasn't in danger, his speed decreased once again.

Tiril looked down at his hands as he flew. His brooch was back where it belonged. Upon studying it, he saw a zigzag-shaped crack going down the middle of it. Scowling slightly, he put the brooch back on and continued on going up.

"Are you done yet?!?" Suzu screamed Shuichi. "We're almost there!!"

"You'll want to be moving up as fast as you can now." Shuichi opened his eyes, a smirk on his face. He turned his head and beckoned to Tiril. The Fallen Angel instantly increased his speed.

"What?" Suzu's face paled, but she followed his instructions all the same. When Shuichi felt that they were high enough… a popping sound was heard. Twenty cyclones whirled about the room, bombarding Sasayaku. The demon's body was the one begin thrown about now.

Suzu, Shuichi, and Tiril watched from high above as Shuichi's handiwork ravaged Sasayaku's body. The sound of the water was deafening, but not as shrill as Sasayaku's anvil. Tornado after tornado tore through the octopus.

"Awesome!!" Suzu pumped her fist in the air. "A couple more hits like that and we've got him!"

Shuichi had his eyes closed. He was focusing his mind once again. _If seventy-percent of a human's body contains water… how much does Sasayaku have?_ The half-demon began picturing innumerable volumes of his element. Shuichi wasn't even sure **_how_** he knew that fact, but he was glad he remembered it when he did.

Tiril's red eyes turned orange and his fangs vanished. The boy looked from Suzu to Shuichi, with a big smile on his face. "I can fight, too!" The Fallen Angel nodded his head happily.

"Suzu. Hit him with your strongest fire attack." Shuichi spoke up suddenly.

"Strongest? Are you sure?" Suzu raised an eyebrow.

"I am." Shuichi said confidently, tightening his grip on Suzu's shoulders.

"Aye-aye!" Suzu nodded her head, imagining her favorite animal in her head. Purple energy waves began to emit off of Suzu's body. Tiril turned to Suzu in shock, feeling the demonic energy crackling in the air.

Shuichi continued to ponder about all the water in Sasayaku's body. _Mind over matter… mind over matter._ He held up both his hands, releasing his hold on Suzu, but kept his legs wrapped around her waist. (He didn't want to fall and crack his head open, of course.)

All of the cyclones circled around Sasayaku. They were no longer whirling around in a circle; they were all closing in on him. The demon's spear was useless against the water. Tiril watched as all the cyclones converged, becoming a gigantic pillar of water that held Sasayaku captive. In the blink of an eye, it happened.

The pillar of water froze completely and Shuichi froze all of the water inside of Sasayaku as well. There was no possible way the octopus could move. "Do it now, before he breaks free!" Shuichi opened his eyes, his hands fumbling for Suzu's shoulders.

"Tiril, hold Shuichi." Suzu said sharply, tossing the half-demon over to Tiril without blinking an eye. Tiril let out a squeal and held onto one of Shuichi's arms with both his hands. She held her right arm towards her, as if she was checking the time or getting ready to hook someone across the face.

A shimmering, tiny figure materialized onto Suzu's arm. It was a tiny, black and white rabbit with black eyes. Suzu stared at the bunny with intensity… and the animal stared right back. It was the cutest thing Tiril had ever seen. However…

"What is **_that_** supposed to do?" Shuichi voiced Tiril's worried thoughts.

"Do not underestimate my pet." Suzu said simply, stretching her arm outwards and downwards, so that her fingertips were pointing at Sasayaku's frozen body. The rabbit instantly zoomed towards it, despite the fact that it had no wings. Shuichi's jaw dropped; the rabbit was faster than Tiril. The second the rabbit's pink nose touched the ice, an explosion of fire erupted from its body.

The force of the blast blew everyone back and the room was filled with heavy fog. Scorching flames were all about the room and when the fog finally began to clear, Sasayaku's singed body was lying on the ground. Half of his arms had been burnt off. His spear had been completely melted.

"Where's the bunny?" Tiril looked around quickly.

"Back in here." Suzu put a hand over her heart.

"Huh?" Shuichi raised an eyebrow.

"The art of summoning is much too complex to explain right now." Suzu answered mysteriously, effectively ending the conversation.

_Her attack was much stronger than mine…_ Shuichi thought to himself. _When we get Apollyon back, I'm making him teach me how to summon!_

"Bravo, bravo, little children." A cold, quiet voice froze everyone. Tiril and Suzu turned around slowly. The most terrifying demon any of them had ever seen was floating right behind them. How long had he been there?

"I must say, I am quite impressed with all of your powers." The demon smiled maliciously, striking more fear in the trio's hearts than Sasayaku's loudest shout. "My name is… Horobosu." Tiril's face paled and his eyes widened.

"Horobosu is one of the oldest demons alive. He was an army commander during the Zenith Wars. But unfortunately, his malevolent, distorted mind was too radical for even the demons to control. He was executed and sentenced to Hell for all eternity by his subordinates. Being stuck in one realm for so long can build resentment in a demon.

"Like his younger brother, Ramechi, Horobosu specializes in hallucinations and such. This is the only thing they have in common, besides sharing blood. But demonic families believe in blood loyalty, so after the entity known as 'Ichigo' killed Ramechi, Horobosu was immediately notified." Tiril blurted out loudly, once again not knowing how in the world he knew all of this. "In other words, Shuichi, he's come here to kill you."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THIS BEFORE?!?" Suzu and Shuichi shrieked at Tiril simultaneously.

"I'm sorry…" Tiril whimpered. "I couldn't remember for some reason."

"I decided to intervene before you removed one of the strongest demons in Hell. Or at least, the one with the biggest reputation." Horobosu chuckled quietly, causing all three of them to stare at him again.

Horobosu was a tall, gangly demon. His skin had taken on a gray tint after being dead for so long. His dark, ebony hair had been neatly combed to the side with a few strands falling loose onto his face. Two large horns that resembled a bull's horns came out of his head. His long, black and white kimono-styled army robe was stained with blood-both old and new. Badges from his previous military positions still adorned his robe showing just how revered he was a long ago.

_OH MY GOD…_ Shuichi took a deep breath. _He's going to kill me…_

"I have spoken to my loyal associates, who informed me that if I touched you three, I would surely not be forgiven." Horobosu continued on, ignoring the horror that was emitting from his next victim's body. "However, you can imagine my surprise when I was told that no one would care if I killed you."

Horobosu looked straight at Shuichi. "You see, you **_do_** have a family. You **_do_** have social promise… however, your status is **_nothing_** compared to that of Suzu, Tiril, or Apollyon. You have yet to establish yourself in all three worlds… and your existence will remain the same whether you are dead or alive.

"I made sure to preserve the Angel's life so that if he dies after I kill you, I cannot in any way be blamed for it." Horobosu wove his hand and Apollyon's body appeared out of nowhere. His body was lying horizontally in the air, floating next to the demon. Shuichi gasped in shock. Apollyon looked exactly the same.

It looked as if Apollyon had been sleeping the whole time; not a hair on his head had been harmed. Shuichi remembered everything about his teacher: His soft, shoulder-length brown hair that covered one of his hazel eyes. The tears of blood that rained down his face and his bandaged, bloody arms. He was still wearing the white, elbow-length sleeved shirt, the tight, black pants, and black, leather boots that went up to his knees. And of course, his large, black wings were still there.

"Apollyon…" Shuichi spoke the male's name for the first time in… just **_HOW_** long had they been separated?!? "I can't believe it…"

_What are we going to do? We can't let him kill Shuichi!_ Suzu thought uneasily.

"He will not wake unless I wish it so." Horobosu turned his cold gaze on Suzu. "Are you thinking of saving him? It is useless; I will do what I came here to do… and I will do it now." The demon wove his hand, a seemingly innocent gesture. It was not so. Tiril and Suzu's bodies were teleported back to the ground and Shuichi was left alone with Horobosu, his body only staying in the air because Horobosu was using his magic to keep the boy up.

"SHUICHI!!!!!!!!!!" Suzu screamed out from the ground. Tiril gulped, looking up at the two of them.

"Troublesome…" Horobosu looked down at Shuichi's friends. He snapped his fingers and a transparent box-shaped barrier rose around Suzu and Tiril. "Wouldn't want them to interrupt our conversation, would we?"

"Conversation?" Shuichi repeated weakly, shaking in fear. _The only reason I'm still here is because he's keeping me up… I've never met someone so strong before. Sasayaku is nothing compared to him._

"Yes, there are things we must clarify." Horobosu smiled cruelly. "I've already devised the perfect way to kill you, so even if by some miracle you and your friends make it out of here… you'll die eventually. If by some miracle, you manage to escape my grasp here… I will return to you. I will find you. Not physically of course, I've got better things to do with my time than chase you around while you're on your little adventures-"

Horobosu teleported so that he was right behind Shuichi. He immersed his hand into Shuichi's pink hair, his fingers grasping the boy's scalp. "I'll be in here. While you sleep, while you dream, while you think…. you can never escape me. I'll always be in here." The demon pulled on Shuichi's hair, yanking out some strands.

Shuichi let out a loud shriek and tore himself away from Horobosu. "During the day, you'll be too exhausted to function properly. While you sleep, you will see nothing but horrific, traumatic images that will haunt you for the rest of your life. You'll begin to fear things you never feared before. Sooner or later, you will become an insomniac, because you'll be too afraid to sleep. If the lack of sleep doesn't directly kill you, you will end up killing yourself. You see, no one can stand psychological torture for too long.

"I'm going to give you a little sample of what you'll be seeing in the dark **_if_** you get out of here. So this way, you'll know exactly what's coming. You'll beg me… to kill you." Horobosu smiled calmly. "Ready or not… here I come."

Shuichi began to cry, but he didn't even notice it. His eyes were stuck to Horobosu. He couldn't look anywhere else, couldn't think of anything else. Suddenly, Horobosu's body disappeared. Shuichi looked down. Suzu and Tiril were gone too… even Sasayaku's incapacitated body was missing.

Shuichi was alone inside the huge chamber. Then the darkness came, folding itself around him and blinding him. He couldn't see an inch ahead of him. "Suzu?" Shuichi whispered weakly. "Suzu?!? Are you out there?!?" He began shrieking and shouting and more tears were running down his face, but he was too afraid to move.

But then… it was as if someone pulled a rug out from under him. Shuichi began falling down, going further into the darkness. He couldn't see where he was falling… he couldn't see anything. The boy turned his head and saw a sea of sharp, jagged rocks on the ground, waiting to impale him. He started screaming louder, but he couldn't fly. He couldn't stop himself from falling.

_I don't want to die!!!!!!!!!!_ Shuichi mentally screeched. Just as his body was going to reach the rocks… he stopped. The teen didn't know how his body stopped falling… it just did. His body was floating right above the sharp rocks.

"Now then, Shuichi, won't you come out?" A familiar, cold voice asked.

Shuichi looked up in shock, already knowing who it was. The heartless face of Lord Seguchi, Tohma's father, was staring down at him. His light blonde hair lit up the darkness. Lord Seguchi smiled widely… and large fangs popped out of his mouth. Shuichi gasped about and tried to move, but… his body was immobile.

Lord Seguchi's face began to warp into that of a monster's. His blonde hair became long and stringy, his eyes became narrow and red, his mouth widened and a gigantic, purple tongue slithered out of it. Spiked, red tentacles erupted out of his ears and his nose, slinking towards Shuichi. _I can't move… I can't move… He's going to eat me…_ Shuichi whimpered to himself.

"Ha ha ha! Now then, Shuichi, won't you come out?" The distorted face of Lord Seguchi demanded. Just before he devoured Shuichi, the boy blacked out.

* * *

**Next up... Chapter 28: Divine Intervention **

**Can Suzu and Tiril save Shuichi from Horobosu before it's too late?**


	39. Chapter 28: Divine Intervention

**Lol wow... has it really been over a month since I've last updated??? Haha, I'm bad. However, as always... I HAVE excuses. From psychology tests to our group psych project, to the AP English essays, to the big Health test, to the never ending Spanish hw, to me turning 18 (WOOT!), and my new obsessions. **

**My new obsessions are (in order of importance to me):**

**1. WORLD OF WARCRAFT!!!!!!! Lvl 36 vending machine!!!!!!!! Chea!!!**

**2. Naruto. Swear to God, I want ON Gaara. I'm on episode 144. **

**3. Bleach and Tsubasa (when does the new season effin start????? When season 2 ended in November, they told us it would start again in April. Umm, pretty sure it _HASN'T_ started yet. Lol I'm kinda mad about that.) **

**Okay so now that I'm done... here's the chapter. Lol surprise guest on, just for all of you!**

**Warnings: This surprise guest has a potty mouth. But that's why we love him, right? **

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_CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:_

_**DIVINE INTERVENTION

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The figure ran along one of the many passages of the labyrinth, inhaling rapidly with each step. Blonde hair flopped up and down, fists were clenched, and a heart was full of fear. He couldn't believe the screams that were coming out of that boy. However, that didn't stop him from running.

Colin, who had boasted being the leader of the vampires in the Forsaken Desert was running away, proving that he really _was_ a pansy. For once, the bloodsucker wasn't beating himself up for being a coward. Sure, it had been fun to feign unconsciousness while the kids were beating the crap out of Sasayaku… but when Horobosu showed up, Colin knew he had no choice but to run.

As if he was going to stick around to see what the demon wanted. Colin, despite what others thought of him, was not a _complete_ idiot. He had heard horror stories about Horobosu back in his living days. It was almost too much for him to bear, to think that he had just been in the same vicinity as the mass murderer.

Colin continued sprinting down as fast as he could. He was too nervous and frightened to change into a bat. His instincts were telling him to do that and hide somewhere in the darkness, but the terror had taken over his mind and all he could do was run, run, run…

"Ouch!!" Colin ran into something solid and he sprang to the ground. He had run into someone. A demon? An angel? Who? Colin gulped and stood up, ready to face… "PRINCE YUKI?!?"

Yes, the Prince of Hell himself was standing right in front of Colin. This was too intense for the vampire; he nearly passed out. But then, he remembered the stories he had been told about the Prince after he had died. Colin knew that Prince Yuki never showed himself to a simple commoner like him, unless the Prince wanted something, of course. And if Colin passed out, the Prince would have to wait for him to wake up. And then he would become impatient. Then things would get ugly.

"I've taken it upon myself to _reach out_ to the needy residents of Hell." Yuki snapped out edgily, taking Colin by the throat and thrashing his body against the nearest wall. "Do you have any grievances? Is anything bothering you… anything at all?" _Like for instance, Horobosu appearing and scaring you shitless?_

"No, nothing's bothering me at all, Prince Yuki." Colin managed to say, sweat falling from his body. _I'm going to get killed… despite the fact that I escaped from Horobosu… _Then, his eyes widened._ This whole thing was a trap from the beginning! Horobosu wasn't after the boy; he's after ME!!!!!!!!! This is an assassination attempt! _

_They think I'm becoming too powerful. They think I'm showing too much promise. They think I have too many followers… Could it be? Am I really such a threat? No, no, this doesn't surprise me at all. _Colin smiled suddenly, lost in his narcissistic thoughts.

"And _**what**_ is so funny?" Yuki's glare intensified, if that was possible. The demon let go of Colin's throat, pushing his shoulders into the pointed rocks.

"Oh… nothing really." Colin shrugged nonchalantly. "I've just figured out your master plan, that's all. I have to say, I'm flattered."

"Excuse me?" Yuki's left eye began twitching. _He wants do die, does he?_

"Okay, Prince Yuki. I've been dead for many a century now. I've lived a good afterlife. I love this realm and everything about it." Colin smiled wistfully. "I'm ready. You can kill me now."

Yuki didn't respond. He couldn't; the demon was literally speechless. Colin, however, was not. "I think it's just wonderful that you, of all demons, came all this way just to finish the job…" The vampire wiped away a tear. "It is an _**honor**_ to be slaughtered by you… Oh and after you kill me off, you'll want to congratulate that boy. He's a fine actor. I really _did_ believe he was being tortured."

Yuki froze, his face paling. "What did you just say?" His grip on Colin tightened considerably. "Tell me now!"

"Well, you know, that boy with pink hair. He's with Horobosu right now, pretending-he's an excellent actor, that one-to be psychologically tortured." Colin nodded his head happily. "I must say, his screams are quite piercing."

Yuki shook with fury. He took Colin by the throat, throwing him to the other side of the hall. The vampire's body crashed against the jagged rocks. "Ow… I didn't know you planned on torturing me!! I thought this was going to be a quick death!" The blonde bloodsucker whimpered as his body fell on the ground.

"If you don't stop fucking with me-" Yuki started threateningly.

"I don't know what you're talking about!!!!! You're the one who's trying to kill me!!!!!!!" Colin shrieked loudly, fearing for his life. _Could it be… that he's not here to assassinate me? Does he only want to hear about the boy? Will he keep me alive if I tell him? Oh… this is too scary for me._

"I see." Yuki stalked slowly over to Colin. "I thought you could be of some use, but I see I was wrong. You really _**are**_ an idiot."

_Wait a minute… he __doesn't__ think I'm wonderful???? I'm not as esteemed as I thought I was in Hell?!? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?_ Colin mentally screamed. _Did he really come all this way just to ask me about that boy?????_

Yuki took Colin by the throat again and hoisted him up in the air as far as his arm could reach. His free hand became engulfed in black, silver, gold, and blue flames. Colin became screeching as Yuki's flaming fingers drew nearer to his brain.

"WAIT, WAIT!!!!" Colin pleaded as desperately as he could. "I ran away from Horobosu!!!! He has the girl and that Fallen in a barrier, but the actor is up there with him!!! I don't know exactly what Horobosu did, but I heard the boy screaming as I ran!!! PLEASE… DON'T ASSASSINATE ME!!!"

Yuki instantly dropped Colin on the ground and pulled out his trusty cell phone. He pressed a digit and Mika's number was dialed. "Mika? Put Raphael on the line. Now." He was in the worst mood possible. No one would _**dare**_ to cross him.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?" Mika screamed back at him. "I'm trying-"

"Is Seki there helping you?" Yuki snarled back, ready to crush the phone.

"Well… yea. What does she have to do with this?" His sister answered.

"How do you think she'll feel after she's found out that Horobosu has sucked out every ounce of sanity her son has left? How will you possibly be able to face her again, after knowing that you didn't do everything you could to save him?" Yuki uttered coldly, his words cutting into Mika's soul.

"I… I…" Mika broke off for a second. "Seki, come here for a minute… I need you to take care of this paperwork. Drop whatever you were doing. I'll be back." Yuki heard Mika's footsteps plopping around and the slamming of a door. "Hold on, Yuki." The blonde heard a click and then a dial tone.

Yuki heard a ringing noise, a whole lot of static… and then finally, a shrill beep. "Hello, Raphael speaking." Yuki almost breathed a sigh of relief, but then got down to business.

"Horobosu has Shuichi. What are you going to do about it?" Yuki demanded, cracking his knuckles when he saw Colin attempting to crawl away. The blonde kicked the vampire in the side, preventing him from moving any time soon.

"Prince Yuki?" Raphael was shocked. "I'm afraid I can't do anything to help him. Shuichi's voyage through Hell is his test. If he cannot-"

"Did you forget that your little boy is down there with him? Now, I know Horobosu wouldn't dare to lay a hand on him. But the lower class demons don't know of Tiril." Yuki smirked, knowing that he had the Archangel's attention.

Everyone knew Raphael's weakness. "I know that Shuichi's sanity is of no importance to you, but didn't you leave Tiril in _his_ care? How is Shuichi supposed to protect your _son_ if he's too mentally demolished to function?" The Prince of Hell knew he had won. Yuki would do _anything_ to ensure the boy's safety, even if he wasn't allowed to physically protect him.

"You've made… a valid point. We'll have to keep this discreet; no other beings can know I've helped him." Raphael let out a sigh. "I'll have Mary cover for me. Alright, Yuki, I've got to go. I haven't teleported to Hell in a while… I need to prepare." The Archangel shook his head. _I'm breaking the law for him… again._

"…Thank you." Yuki found himself saying, which surprised both him and Raphael. The males said their curt goodbyes and Raphael hung up. Yuki then pressed a button and Mika's number was dialed once more.

"What the _hell_ do you want now?!?" Mika roared into the phone.

"I have a demon here by the name of Colin. He's blonde and he's wearing outlandish clothing." Yuki sneered down at the vampire. "I'd like you to send a group of Father's best soldiers over here to arrest him."

"What? Why? Who is he?" Mika's jaw dropped.

"He's an accomplice of Horobosu's." Yuki answered impatiently. "He's wandering around in Sasayaku's lair. And if you manage to catch him outside of the labyrinth… kill him immediately."

"Sure. We wouldn't want one of Horobosu's men running all about. Good work!" Mika let out a sigh and then cursed loudly. "SAKANO!!!! Would you watch what you're doing?!? How is Seki supposed to help me if she's covered in third degree burns from your revolting tea???"

Mika hung up without saying goodbye… or perhaps she became so enraged that she had simply thrown the phone at Sakano. Shaking his head, Yuki put his cell phone back in his pocket. The blonde began stalking off into the distance, leaving a shocked Colin behind.

"Wait a minute!!! What am I getting arrested for??? I didn't help Horobosu!" Colin screamed at Yuki's back. "I told you what I did! I ran away!"

"In my opinion, Colin, cowardice is worth getting arrested for." Yuki replied hauntingly, with his back still turned to the vampire. "You could have helped him, but instead, you chose to run away. The only thing worse than doing something wrong… is letting someone do something wrong." And with that, the blonde vanished into thin air, leaving Colin all alone with no one but stone to comfort him.

* * *

For the past few minutes, Shuichi had done nothing but scream. "Shuichi… are you okay??????" Suzu shouted from down below. Tiril had latched himself onto her right leg and was crying on it.

Shuichi instantly woke up, his chest heaving up and down. Sweat was pouring down his face. His purple eyes darted around, making sure that everything was okay. Suzu and Tiril were still below him. Apollyon was still next to Horobosu. He was still alive. It wasn't real. It wasn't real.

Shuichi put a hand over his throat. It hurt like hell. He could still see Lord Seguchi's face burning in his mind. He couldn't forget it. His body was shaking. He felt hot and cold at the same time, if that was possible. Or maybe he had already gone crazy. It made sense, didn't it? Didn't it?

"Such a sad child you are…" Horobosu drew nearer to Shuichi, who was trying to back away, but once again… he _couldn't_ move. "Do you like stories, little boy? Would you like me to tell you one last story before you die?"

Horobosu's alarmingly, soft voice scared Shuichi more than the iniquitous intent in his eyes. _Well… I might as well. I'll be alive for a few minutes longer._ Shuichi vigorously nodded his head. _I can't believe I'm thinking like this… but I have to be realistic. I'm not getting out of this alive. I'm out of miracles._

"One fine day, I was summoned to Lord Lucifer's castle. After many years of ignoring my existence, he suddenly wanted to meet with me." Horobosu smiled mysteriously. "Of course, I could not refuse his invitation. I arrived promptly at the appointed time and Lord Lucifer himself was there to meet me. He gave me a tour of his lovely home. I was then told to go the dining room, where a woman was waiting for me.

"This woman was like no other. In all my years, I had never seen a woman so beautiful and pure. And so, I aimed to do what I do to all exquisite things… break them." Horobosu paused as a look of disgust crossed over Shuichi's face. "As Lord Lucifer and his family joined me for lunch, I began picturing ways I could shatter this woman. After our meal, I managed to get the woman alone. I pretended to be lost, talked with her about trivial things, and casually put a hand on her shoulder.

"In that instant, I filled her mind with horrifying images. Images that would continue to sicken her for the rest of her life-which wouldn't last very long since I had interfered with her lifespan." Horobosu's eyes narrowed, pleased at the fear radiating off of Shuichi's body. "She blacked out, similar to you. I then found Lord Lucifer and walked around with him again. The Devil dismissed me a while later.

"I began to send the woman dreams every night. I heard stories from the other demons about how her health was deteriorating faster and faster. I wanted her to die slowly, so that her death would not be tied to me. I changed the interval to three times a week and later once a week. She became inconsolable, she became an insomniac; she became insane. Eventually… my illusory powers became too much for her. She hung herself in her private chamber, exactly seven months after I had first met her. Personally, I was impressed that she stayed alive for that long.

"I can guarantee that you won't last that long." Horobosu cackled loudly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Would you like to know who this woman was? I believe you are worthy enough to know this secret I've been carrying around. For you see, the fools never realized that I killed the Jewel of Hell. I killed Persephone."

Shuichi's mind was drawing a blank… and then he realized it. "You… you killed Yuki's Mother????" The boy was in shock. "Why? How could you? She…"

"Oh come now, boy. I told you… she was the most beautiful, most pure woman I had ever met. It was my personal duty to destroy her, to make _sure_ that I was the one that broke her." Horobosu was quite amused with himself. He didn't know that the boy knew the Prince. That news excited Horobosu even more.

Shuichi's body began shaking in fury. "You… you did that to Yuki. You took his Mother away from him." The half-demon was enraged.

"Oh, her soul is no doubt drifting about here somewhere. She's probably still ranting on and on in ridiculous sentences that are only significant to her." Horobosu stated casually. "Why does this matter to you?"

"You…" Shuichi growled, pulling his fist back and punching Horobosu across the face. Horobosu's body actually flew back a few feet. "BASTARD!!!!" Shuichi's body glowed purple and he began to fall towards the ground, where Suzu and Tiril were standing, encased by the barrier.

"You've made a grave mistake." Horobosu had not expected the boy to move at all. He was even more shocked that blood was trickling from his mouth; that the boy was falling towards his comrades. Shuichi had even broken the magical hold Horobosu had on him… the half-demon was not frozen anymore.

Suzu and Tiril saw Shuichi falling towards them. "YEAH SHUICHI!!! OVER HERE!!!!" Suzu jumped up and down, waving her arms around excitedly. Tiril, shrugging slightly, followed suit, shouting as loud as he could.

_I'll be back for you…_ Shuichi turned his head to look up at Apollyon's unconscious body. His purple eyes locked onto Suzu's face. _I'm coming…_ He reached his arms out towards her. "SUZU!!!"

Suzu leapt in the air, following his actions exactly. Their fingers touched and shattered the barrier simultaneously. Glittering light flowed around the duo.

Horobosu stared in shock as Shuichi and Suzu intertwined their fingers, no longer being kept apart by the barrier, pulling each other in. "We did it." They said in unison. Shuichi and Suzu hugged tightly, floating about in the air.

"What's going on?" Tiril cocked his head to one side, but neither of the beings answered him. They were in their own world.

Shuichi and Suzu pulled apart, staring at each other intently, but their fingers were still entwined. "Let's do this." Shuichi glanced up at Horobosu.

"It is time." Suzu answered, her purple eye glazed over with power. Purple energy emitted from both their bodies.

_The bond between them rivals that of Twin Flames. Could it be?_ Horobosu focused his eyes on the two. He had encountered Twin Flames during the Zenith Wars and they were a force to be reckoned with. Twin Flames were near impossible to beat. _Is the boy more significant than I believed him to be?_ However, how could the children be Twin Flames if they were _**not**_ Angels?

A circular, multicolored gate appeared over Shuichi's and Suzu's heads. It was covered in intricate designs and a zigzagged line went from one end of the gate to the other. The purple energy rose from their bodies and painted every inch of the gate purple. The gate creaked open and bright light shone through.

A lone figure entered the room through the mysterious gate… and its doors closed behind him. Shuichi and Suzu simultaneously passed out… and their bodies were gently placed on the ground by an invisible force; Shuichi on Tiril's left side and Suzu on his right. The mystifying gate changed into a myriad of tiny light particles, rising up to the ceiling of the cave.

The figure, still encased in shadow, made its way towards Tiril and his unconscious friends. "Stay back! Who are you?" Tiril gulped, turning towards Shuichi. "I don't know what that was… or what they did… I just wish they'd wake up." The figure slowly glided downwards, drawing nearer and nearer to Tiril, until the being came into the boy's vision.

A tall male hovered above Tiril. The boy stared up at him in wonder; Tiril had never seen such a beautiful man before. He had huge, white, birdlike wings that beat slowly and loudly.

"Are you an Angel?" Tiril cocked his head to one side. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the guy seemed so familiar. Tiril scrunched his eyes tightly, thinking that if he stared hard enough at the unknown male, he would remember.

"Yes… I am." The Angel's kind, golden eyes bored into Tiril's orange ones. His long, blonde hair looked so soft and delicate, as if his locks consisted of a million golden flower petals. He landed on the ground a few feet away from Tiril.

"And here I thought you would never see each other again. What a happy ending." Tiril let out a shriek at the sound of Horobosu's chilling voice. The demon appeared in the air above them. "It's so nice to see you again, Raphael."

Raphael's eyes darkened as he glared up at Horobosu. He held two fingers towards Tiril and the boy's body was immediately pulled towards the Archangel. "How am I moving?" Tiril turned his head around in confusion as his body was tugged to Raphael. It was as if gravity had dragged Tiril over to Raphael.

"Horobosu. Do _not_ test me." Raphael ignored Tiril's question, his outraged eyes locked onto Horobosu's form.

"You came all this way just to save-" Horobosu broke off as his eyes widened. The demon's hands rose to his throat and grasped it frantically. His oxygen supply was being cut off, by none other than Raphael.

"Wow…" Tiril whispered in sheer wonder at Raphael's power. He couldn't stop staring. "Do I… wait a minute- I _DO_ know you!" The boy's eyes expanded to the size of baseballs. "I don't know how I do, but I do!"

Raphael froze, his back stiffening. "Be silent for now, Tiril." The Archangel couldn't even look at Tiril at this point. He waited until Horobosu's body flopped to the ground, out cold. "We only have a few minutes."

Raphael looked up and saw Apollyon's body floating about. The blonde snapped his fingers and the wind carried the Angel's body down to him. "You're so strong!" Tiril laughed out loud. "You should be watching me instead of Shuichi; you're much stronger than him."

Apollyon awoke a few moments later. He almost fell on the ground, but caught his balance immediately, remembering the wings on his back. "I have been asleep for very long." The Angel of Hell commented to himself, looking around him. _What the hell?!?_

Apollyon was in sheer shock. He was in the middle of some unknown cave, all of his previous injuries from the octopuses that had attacked him were gone, Shuichi had somehow mysteriously found him and was unconscious ten feet away, some girl was lying next to him, the Fallen Angel Tiril-who was probably the youngest of his kind-was standing by him, Horobosu-who was miraculously comatose as well-was in the vicinity, and he himself wasn't dead. The biggest surprise of all was seeing the Archangel Raphael as soon as he woke up.

Apollyon shook his head; convinced that he was dreaming. "Hi! We've been looking for you for a long time now!" Tiril ran right up to Apollyon. The Angel, letting out a long, tired sigh, landed on the ground.

"Hello, Tiril." Apollyon managed to give the boy a small smile. He instantly turned towards Raphael. "What is going on?"

"I was sent here by Prince Yuki to save Shuichi." Raphael crossed his arms over his chest. "I must say, you've caused a bit of a catastrophe, getting captured like that." _Things are going to get interesting for Horobosu once he wakes up…_

"But if it wasn't for him getting kidnapped, I would've never met Shuichi or Suzu!" Tiril sang out happily. "Now we can go back to valley, where Rap-" He froze mid-sentence, slowly turning his head towards Raphael. The words tumbled out of his mouth, laced with calm certainty: "You're the same person. But you look nothing alike." The kind boy with the blue wings who had once guarded Tiril, was the same being as the Angel that stood before him.

"Yes, we are one and the same. That boy was a different form of me. I needed his body to properly assimilate myself into Hell." Raphael smiled at Tiril. "I'm surprised you figured it out so quickly."

"You're an Archangel." Tiril said flatly, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want with us? Aren't you busy?" The boy couldn't put his finger on it, but something was bothering him. It just didn't seem right that the legendary Raphael was in a dark cave talking to him. He was missing something.

Raphael let out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, Tiril. Your questions will have to wait." _I have a few of my own._ The Archangel added to himself. He put a hand on top of the boy's head and Tiril's eyes lost their spark.

"You really can't stand being near him, can you?" Apollyon crossed his arms over his chest, his hazel eye fixated on the unconscious body of Tiril, son of Raphael. Despite the fact that the Fallen Angel was out like a light, his eyes were still open and he was still standing.

"Raziel, I have a few questions for you. I know you can hear me." Raphael kept his hand on Tiril's head.

"You've got some nerve using your own son as a medium." Raziel spoke out in an annoyed tone, using Tiril's voice.

"I was preparing to teleport myself to this cave when a purple gate appeared before me and sucked me in." Raphael stated, ignoring Raziel's words. "Those children produced the gate that summoned me. How was that possible? The spell they performed was so intricate, so powerful… and dangerous. How could _**either**_ of them have learned to do such a thing? How could their powers cross dimensions and reach me? And how did they execute the act in complete unison?"

"I'm sure you remember the days of the war, when you and Mary performed similar acts in order to survive. You two were quite a team, as were the other Twin Flames." Raziel began mysteriously. Apollyon was confused, because the imposing words coming out from Tiril's mouth weren't his. "Those children are spiritual twins. Their powers and capabilities are amplified immensely once the bond is awakened. I regret this event taking place, for this bond between them was not supposed to awaken for another decade."

"Well, if their bond is not exactly similar to ours, are they soul mates?" Raphael frowned slightly. He wasn't exactly sure what Raziel was saying.

"Would you ever consider marrying Mary?" Raziel barked out.

"Heavens no, it would be like marrying my sis-" Raphael protested.

"Exactly; the two of them are so alike, they are merely extensions of each other. Establishing an intimate relationship like the one you suggested would be nothing less than narcissism." Raziel cut in curtly. "If you are done with your ridiculous questions, I would like you to perform a seal on them. I do not want this bond to immerse again for another ten years. It was scheduled for a reason."

"Scheduled?" Apollyon repeated, not liking what he heard.

"If you have a problem with the regulation of their powers, please: speak now." Raziel snapped out sharply. "You think it's wrong for us to control an aspect of the future. I can tell you now, that boy cannot handle the amount of power the bond will give him. He will end up losing himself… and because of their bond she will be dragged down with him. Is that how you want this story to end?"

Apollyon scowled, glaring at the wall. "I thought so." Raziel snorted. "Raphael, perform the spell. Stand in the middle of the children. Stretch your arms so that each one of your palms is facing a child." Raziel waited until the blonde was in position. "Repeat: _Hodie mihi, cras tibi._"

"_Hodie mihi, cras tibi._" Raphael reiterated solemnly. Golden light glittered around Suzu and Shuichi. Then, a vast, purple cloud rose up from their bodies. The golden light multiplied and overtook the purple cloud. The golden light faded away silently. A giant insignia appeared in the air, in the middle of Suzu and Shuichi: a blue water droplet encased in a red flame.

The emblem vanished into the air. Raphael coughed loudly, falling to his knees in exhaustion. _Just how much energy did that spell take from me? How much was taken from me to seal those children?_ Raphael took big, deep breaths. _That was one stipulation Raziel "failed" to mention to me._

Apollyon shook his head, remembering why he preferred living in Hell. It was the way the other Angels always had to manipulate the situation, how they always had to remain in control.

"I'll erase the Tiril's memory of that incident while I'm here. However, the boy is a special case. He may remember despite my attempts to-" Raziel began.

"Leave him be." Raphael said coldly, standing up. "Do not touch my son." _For some reason, I feel as though I cannot trust Raziel. I've made a mistake._ "I will take care of it."

"You take care of him?" Raziel snorted incredulously. "Very well… I will not go against the wishes of an _Archangel_. I will take my leave." Tiril's body shook, his eyes rolled up in his head and the boy passed out on the ground. Raphael picked his son up, brushing the boy's bangs out of his eyes. Tiril stirred and woke up, looking into Raphael's eyes.

"I feel like I shouldn't trust you because you're keeping secrets." Tiril said instantly and his words almost shattered Raphael's heart. "But then I figured since Suzu and Shuichi brought you here, they must trust you. So I guess I can, too."

Apollyon's shoulders shook with laughter and Raphael placed Tiril on the ground. "Listen to me, Tiril." The blonde knelt down on the ground and put his hands on Tiril's shoulders. "You must promise me that you will never tell anyone what happened here. Do not tell Suzu or Shuichi about the gate or me."

"I won't tell, promise." Tiril's eyes widened at the gravity of Raphael's tone.

"I must leave you now. You're in good hands, Tiril." Raphael leaned forward and kissed Tiril on the forehead. "Take care."

"Wait… why are you leaving again?" Tiril's face crumpled up. _And why does it hurt so much?_

Raphael almost choked up, but he turned around and took a few steps away. "Remember, Tiril: I was never here. Don't cry." _Please don't… because then I'll stay. _The blonde took a deep breath and prepared his mind. His body emitted golden light and vanished into thin air.

"Let's leave before he wakes up." Apollyon wasn't about to waste any time. He picked Suzu and Shuichi and began flying up towards the hole in the ceiling that had magically revealed itself. Light was poking through it. Tiril wordlessly rose up after the Angel, tears blinding his vision. Together, they headed for the light…

* * *

_What is my purpose? I wait for the day when I realize why I am here and who I am here for. Everyone has a soul mate, the one fate chooses. Where is mine? If I was parted from the one I love the most… have I not yet found my soul mate? Was I meant to die, to be separated from the most wonderful being I have ever known? Was I deceived? Is he not… my soul mate?_

Shuichi opened his eyes widely, gasping for breath. His heart was beating rapidly and his forehead was covered with sweat. _It's just that voice again…_ He realized, reassuring himself. Horobosu wasn't trying to scare him… yet.

"Did you have a nightmare?!?" Suzu all but shouted in Shuichi's ear. "It's about time you woke up… I was getting worried."

Tiril was sitting Indian-style on Shuichi's left and Suzu was lying down on her stomach to Shuichi's right. "What are you talking about?" Tiril rolled his eyes. "You woke up at the same time."

Suzu let out a laugh and ruffled Tiril's hair lovingly. Shuichi sat up and realized that he had been lying down on top of the frozen lake. "The hole we came right out of closed up after we came out. And we couldn't find the one you made. I think this lake is permanently frozen." The Fallen Angel announced.

"I must say, I'm impressed with how much you've grown." Apollyon smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. Shuichi let out a tiny squeak and spun around.

"APOLLYON!!!!!!!!!!" Shuichi leapt onto the Angel of Hell, who had his arms already open. "I missed you, I missed you… I missed you!" He gushed excitedly, hanging onto Apollyon as tightly as he could.

"Whoa, Shu… is there something you want to tell us?" Suzu snickered, poking Shuichi in the back of the head.

"Yuki wouldn't like that!" Tiril burst out, his tone slightly angry.

"Oho!!! Who's this Yuki?" Suzu inched closer to Tiril, grabbing the tiny boy by the waist. "I wanna know everything."

Shuichi shook his head, pulling back from Apollyon. "It's amazing how ridiculous children can be." Apollyon let out a sigh.

"Who're you calling ridiculous?" Suzu leapt up, ready to fight… but she staggered and sat right back down. "Okay, never mind, too tired. I'll kick your ass when I can move mine."

"Yeah… I know what you mean." Shuichi felt fatigued also. "What happened back there? Where's Horobosu? And how did we get Apollyon back?"

"He woke up and knocked Horobosu unconscious." Tiril answered casually.

Suzu narrowed her eyes at Tiril. _He's not telling us everything… _However, when she tried to remember what happened after Shuichi punched Horobosu, her mind drew a blank. That was just weird. Usually, her memory was quite good. Something was going on…

"Wow, you're amazing!" But on the inside, Shuichi was thinking the same.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 29: The Summoning Song**

**Suzu teaches Shuichi how to summon.**

**Apollyon thinks Suzu is annoying.**

**Tiril continues to navigate the group through the desert.**

**What could possibly go wrong?**

**Lol hopefully I won't take another month to write this. Actually, that's not possible because: Seventeen school days left!! SENIORS '07!!!!! **


	40. Chapter 29: The Summoning Song

**Lol... I know, I'm bad. I said it wouldn't take me a month... but it took me thirty-three days. Urg... I need to start sticking to my deadlines. I've been out of school since last Tuesday. SENIORS WOOT!!! Lol graduation is on Saturday. No more high school. That's a scary thought. But onto more important things:**

**I'm still obsessed with Naruto. I'm all caught up- I watched EVERY filler lol. Now I'm impatiently waiting for Thursday, so I can watch the next Shippuuden episode. Same goes for Bleach, too. Those are really the only two anime I'm faithful too. **

**As for WoW, my mage is 40. (WOOT MOUNT!!) and I have a lvl 20 lock. Still obsessed, but not as passionate as before. I saw Shrek the 3rd and the new Pirates movie. I have to say, this is a very good year for movies. **

**Lol why am I babbling on and on? This is what REALLY matters. I wrote approximately 4/5 of this chapter thanks to these two songs: Davy Jones by Hans Zimmer & Polovtsian Dances and Chorus. The latter of these is used in the chapter. I'm not sure who owns it. It's either Borodin or Oz.**

**As always, I apologize if there are any mistakes.**

_**

* * *

**_

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:

THE SUMMONING SONG

* * *

Shuichi shivered, despite the fact that he wasn't cold. He was just scared. He didn't want to go to sleep. Horobosu's words kept resonating in his skull. Images, images he never wanted to see… would be waiting for him if he dared to close his eyes. The half-demon sat up once again and saw his comrades sleeping soundly. 

Suzu was on his left, sleeping on her stomach. She was cradling her head with her left arm and her right arm was slightly stretched out before her, bent at the elbow. She was snoring slightly… but she looked as peaceful as ever.

Tiril was curled up into himself, sleeping on his right. His knees were practically up to his chest, held loosely in position by his left arm. His right arm was a cushion for his head. And Tiril had basically placed himself closest to the brooch (that was _**somehow**_ functioning perfectly now) which created the protective barrier around them.

Apollyon was in front of all of them, using the barrier itself for back support. He was sitting up, but snoozing as comfortably as a babe. _If only I could be as relaxed… _Shuichi ran his fingers through his hair. _I wish I could._

To make matters worse, Shuichi had lost the water lily (which held the brooch that Michael had given him). Tiril said that it must have fallen off Shuichi while Apollyon was carrying him. Suzu said that Tiril planted it in the frozen lake while they were sleeping. Either way it was gone... and this saddened him.

"What the hell is your problem?" Shuichi jumped and shifted, only to see Suzu sitting up, rubbing her eyes. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Why aren't you?" Shuichi shot back defensively.

"Who could sleep while your aura is all conflicted and depressing?" Suzu yawned and scratched her head. "Are you worried about Horobosu?" Shuichi didn't answer, choosing to glare at the ground instead. "Well don't be. I've got the perfect solution to deal with nightmares."

"You do?" Shuichi's eyes widened. _I wonder what it could be…_

"Yeah… a bedtime story!" Suzu proclaimed excitedly. Shuichi grit his teeth and resisted the urge to smack Suzu in the head. "Don't give me that look, idiot. I used to have nightmares… eons ago. Now listen up. The main element of nightmares is fear. As long as you're not afraid, you won't have any nightmares.

"When I was little, I used to have vivid nightmares. And this is what I'd do to keep the nightmares away. To me, when I was a child, a nightmare was something that invaded my mind from the outside. It was something that didn't belong. I didn't get that the nightmares came from my own thoughts.

"However, sometimes fooling yourself can turn into a positive thing. I thought up a plan to block the nightmares from coming into my brain. I'd surround myself with stuffed animals, a few on the left, a few on the right, and one I always cuddled with and held while I slept. These inanimate objects would protect me.

"And I was completely certain that it would work. I'd put the same ones in the same places (that is, until someone purchased an even cuter one for me) every night. And for the most part, it worked. I wasn't plagued by nightmares while I slept. I slept comfortably and long.

"So, as a result, I'm going to do the same for you." Suzu finished simply, nodding her head as if she was agreeing with herself. "Yes, that's what I'll do."

"What? That doesn't make any sense. How can you protect me from nightmares?" Shuichi was slightly touched by Suzu's story (he could picture a tiny Suzu placing her stuffed animals in various parts of her bed), but her idea just didn't make sense.

"The first thing you need to do is trust me. Trust that I'll protect you with my body, that no matter how small or cute I am, I _**am**_ powerful. While you sleep, my only purpose is to block the nightmares from getting to you. If you don't believe in me, it won't work." Suzu shrugged. "Personally, I can go with or without sleep just fine. You're the one who has to get up in the morning."

"Oh fine… but how am I supposed to cuddle you?" Shuichi mumbled.

"I'm not staying in this form. I don't feel like getting molested by a gay guy in my sleep, thanks." Suzu rolled her eyes. "Jeez, you're stupid."

"Ok fine then! Change or whatever!" Shuichi crossed his arms over his chest.

"Just to let you know, I can't talk to you after I transform. So if you have anything to say, you'd better say it now." Suzu stood up and shook her hair. Her body began giving off a white glow that grew with intensity which each passing second. Suzu's figure began to shrink rapidly.

"Er… good night?" The half-demon cocked his head to one side.

"Good night, Shuichi." Suzu chuckled to herself as she was encompassed in white light. Shuichi couldn't see anything but the light. All traces of Suzu's body were gone. Suddenly, all the light vanished with a poof and Shuichi found himself facing the cutest puppy he had ever seen in his life.

"AWWWW!!!!!!!" Shuichi couldn't help but squeal loudly at the sight of Suzu's puppy form. Suzu was now a tiny, brown puppy with large, purple eyes and upright, triangle-shaped ears. Suzu's tiny feet were white and her tailed was arched, tipped with white.

Suzu let out a tiny yip and jumped around Shuichi. The boy opened his arms and Suzu jumped right into them. Shuichi scratched Suzu behind the ears and she whimpered accordingly.

"You are too cute…" Shuichi laughed to himself. "I guess you weren't lying when you said your mother was a dog demon." Suzu growled and nipped his hand. "Hey! No biting!"

However, Shuichi's fatigue caught up with him and he was forced to end his fussing over the pup. He dropped Suzu on the ground and laid down by her. As soon as he got into a comfortable position, Suzu curled up right by his chest. Shuichi soon fell asleep, stroking and stroking her soft fur…

* * *

"Hey… what's that?" Shuichi groaned and woke to the sound of Tiril's voice. Tiril was staring pointedly at Suzu, who was still a pup. "Where'd Suzu go?" Shuichi sat up, stretching and rubbing his eyes. Suzu's entire body rose and fell with each breath she took. 

"That dog is Suzu." Apollyon shook his head. "Good morning."

"Morning, Apollyon!" Shuichi grinned cheerfully. "No nightmares!"

"No way… this is Suzu??? Is she a werewolf?" Tiril's eyes widened in shock and reached out a hand to pet Suzu. However, Suzu was apparently waiting for him. Her purple orbs flashed open, she leapt out at Tiril's hand, and bit him. "OW!!!!!"

"Demons of dog descent consider it an insult if they are referred to as wolves." Apollyon stated, letting out a sigh.

"I'm sorry!!!" Tiril squeaked out as Suzu growled warningly at him. "My hand is bleeding!!" He got up and ran behind Shuichi. "I thought I'd like you better as a dog, but I guess not…"

Suzu shook her fur rapidly and let out a couple barks. Her body flashed white and she instantly changed back into her regular form, without fur and whiskers. "You're not exactly my favorite brat either, Tiril." Suzu tossed her highlighted head.

"Hey, hey!" Shuichi held his hands up. "It was just… cultural confusion. I'm sure Tiril didn't mean to insult you. He didn't know. And you know, Suzu, the method worked. I didn't have any nightmares."

"Really?" Suzu grinned widely. "Yahoo!!" Shuichi and Suzu hugged and started dancing around happily.

Tiril and Apollyon just stared at the two of them. _They're weird… but I guess that means Horobosu can't touch Shuichi now. That's a good thing._ Tiril grinned widely. _Suzu certainly is special…_

_Impossible… how could she have blocked his magic?_ Apollyon scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. _And what price is she paying for protecting him?_

"Hey, Suzu… how much do you love me?" Shuichi paused in his celebration, batting his eyelashes at the girl.

"What do you want now?" Suzu let out a sigh.

"Wanna teach me how to summon?" Shuichi grinned widely.

"WHAT?!?" Suzu and Apollyon shouted simultaneously.

Shuichi thought back to how Suzu had summoned the cute, but menacing black and white rabbit. He had heard about summoning before. Generally, when a being summoned something, they had to recite a phrase or a key word first. But Suzu… she had summoned her pet wordlessly. Shuichi wanted to do that.

He explained this to the group. "I want… I want to be stronger, like you, Suzu." Shuichi finished silently. "I want to be strong enough to-"

"First off, you'll never be as strong as me." Suzu shook her head. "I've got more than a couple thousand years on you. You haven't even reached twenty yet and in _**human**_ years, that's young. So before I teach you anything, don't try and reach for some unreachable, illogical dream. You can't control time, remember that. You can only use the time given to you.

"If you want me to teach you to summon, I will. However, there are some conditions." Suzu knelt down, planted her hand into the sand, and lifted it out. The sand rose up with her hand and morphed into a rather short scroll.

Shuichi's mouth literally dropped open. _She's serious about this… I've never seen her look so serious._ He gulped and attempted to calm his mind. Suzu put one finger on the scroll and words began to appear onto it. He leaned over to read it, but he couldn't understand any of the words. They were in a different language.

"What does it say?" Tiril asked curiously.

"This ancient scroll is passed down from generation to generation in my family. Grandma gave it to me… and now I'm giving it to you, Shuichi. You can only teach someone how to summon once and then you must pass on the scroll." Suzu waited patiently as more words appeared.

Apollyon examined the scroll quickly and found the number three in one of the paragraphs. The number was also in red ink, unlike the other words in the passage. "What is the meaning of this?" The Angel pointed to the three.

"This is the third time this scroll is being passed down. My Great-Grandparents gave this scroll to Grandma, she gave it to me, and I am giving it to Shuichi." Suzu answered solemnly.

For some reason, Shuichi felt deeply honored. He felt that he was a part of something bigger, something he couldn't possibly conceive. And he was, for he had no idea how archaic and prominent Suzu's family actually was.

Apollyon's eyes almost popped out of his head. _Shuichi is about to learn the most powerful means of summoning. Only those of Kizura's lineage are capable of summoning wordlessly. However, because of the connection between the two of them, Shuichi will not only learn how to summon as if he is from Kizura's house, he might also be able to summon silently._

Apollyon stole a look at Suzu. _And for her to not choose to bequeath this honor, this grand power, onto her own children or grandchildren… how much of an impact have these beings had on each other? She can only pass this ability once and yet… she has chosen Shuichi. Is this… the power of destiny? _The Angel of Hell inwardly sighed. This was way above his head.

Finally, the scroll was almost completely filled with… unreadable words. Shuichi was filled with anticipation. Would a bolt of lightning come down and strike him? Or would a gigantic wave wash over the Forsaken Desert? Or would the moon appear in the morning sky and shine down upon him? What great catastrophe was about to take place?

"As I said before, there are conditions. Because you're not biologically or genetically related to me, there are some complications. Families should teach their own young how to summon. In your case, however, I don't think any one in your immediate family knows how to summon. So this violation of ancient law has been approved by the scroll.

"Despite the fact that the scroll approves, my family will most likely be disgusted with my choice. This brings us to the first condition: _You are never to tell a soul that I have taught you how to summon._ If you do, you will lose the ability to summon and an ancient curse will be placed upon you.

"The second condition: _You are not to teach this ability to anyone without my approval. _My family's way of summoning is unique and confidential; it should not be taught to just anyone. You are not of my family and therefore, you do not have permission to choose who can learn our way of summoning.

"Do you understand?" Suzu stopped talking, her purple eye fixated on Shuichi's face.

"Yes, I do." Shuichi nodded his head seriously. _Just what have I gotten myself into?_ Suzu held her left hand in the air and a fancy, feather quill pen materialized in between her fingers. She quickly signed her name at the bottom left of the scroll. Suzu reached over and nicked Shuichi's arm with the pen.

"Hey!" Shuichi protested as Suzu held the pen out to him.

"Sign your name with you blood before it dries." Suzu ordered sharply. Shuichi jumped and obeyed her, signing in bottom right part of the scroll. As soon as he lifted the pen, it vanished.

The scroll rolled itself up and hovered in the air for a few seconds. It then floated over to Shuichi. The teen instinctively reached up to grab it, but as soon as his fingertips touched it, it disappeared.

"The next time you see that scroll will be when you teach someone else how to summon." Suzu ran her fingers through her hair.

"With your permission." Shuichi added quickly. Suzu smiled and nodded.

"Is it okay to speak now?" Tiril whispered to Suzu.

"Of course it is!" Suzu snatched Tiril by the waist and ruffled his hair. "Why don't we get going? You know the way out, right? Lead the way!" As so, Tiril took the brooch off the ground and the group embarked on their never-ending journey.

* * *

It was nighttime once again. This time around, there was not an iota of fear in Shuichi's heart. He fully trusted Suzu. _I'm lucky… to have such a friend like her. I can't wait to summon something…_ Shuichi thought to himself dreamily as he held the brown pup to his chest. Suzu was already fast asleep. _I wonder what Yuki is doing right now…_ The boy closed his eyes one last time.

* * *

"Interesting…" Shuichi heard someone snort and opened his purple eyes. "Get up already, we don't have all day!" Shuichi yawned and stretched, sitting up. Awareness finally caught up with him and his heart skipped a beat. He wasn't in the desert anymore. 

Shuichi stood up, looking all around him. It was as if someone had tossed him into the cosmos and left him there. Darkness and glittering stars surrounded his body. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was as if he had been immersed into an infinite painting, full of unimaginable exquisiteness.

However, he knew he was dreaming, because there was no sound in space. Shuichi knew that a voice had awakened him. That didn't stop him from making a wish when he saw a shooting star.

Shuichi reached out to touch a blue star, but of course, he couldn't reach it. "I don't know why a dream will teach you how to summon. It's almost as if you _**choose**_ to forget things." The voice was back.

"What do you mean?" For some reason, those words haunted Shuichi, stabbing his heart. A green star spun around him, as if trying to comfort him.

"There are many ways a being learns to summon: reading a passage out loud, standing out in the midst of a thunderstorm, being in mortal danger and having nowhere else to turn, hearing a certain song, being lost at sea… However, this is the first time a being has learned to summon through a dream. You will most likely not remember what has happened here.

"The means by which you learn to summon is a direct reflection of your soul. For instance, the one who spoke with me beforehand learned to summon through hearing me sing a song. She finds music very inspiring and her soul delights in hearing certain melodies." The voice paused dramatically.

"Suzu!" Shuichi shouted out instinctively.

"Is that what she's called nowadays? Interesting." The voice commented. "Your soul, like hers, enjoys hearing good music. But there is dark uncertainty present in the depths of your soul. This darkness will prevent you from remembering what has happened here.

"Because you are so young, your soul cannot handle all the power you are about to receive. Unlike your predecessor, your summoned beings will appear through a medium, a weapon of your choice. But beware of this: the beings you summon are **not** your equals. They are not your companions and should certainly not be superior to you.

"You are the one who controls them. The minute you think of them as equals, they will become beasts and ravage the earth, the skies, and the waters until you reestablish your authority. The same will happen if those you summon become more powerful than you. They will not respect a weak Master. Is this understood?" The voice explained gravely. A gold star twinkled in the distance.

"I understand." Shuichi gulped as the universe began to warp around him.

"I will now tell the story as your soul has foretold me to." The voice declared.

The stars and planets around him began to spin around, faster and faster. Shuichi was frightened beyond belief. The multicolored brightness swirled and swirled around him. The great mass shot up above him and became distorted. Shuichi was now looking up at a massive, black hole, ready to swallow him up. Just as the black hole was about to reach the top of his head, grand, white light filled the entire universe and blinded Shuichi.

When Shuichi opened his eyes, he was standing on top of the water, in the middle of the ocean. The water was still, but slightly dark. There were no waves in the water at all. He couldn't see anything but water, no matter where he turned. The sky was calm, with a perfect mix of clear blue and puffy, white clouds. The sun was prominent as well, glimmering high above. The light was neither intense nor dim, providing Shuichi with both sight and comfort.

**Uletaj na kryl'jach vetra**

**Ty V kraj rodnoj, rodnaja pesnya nasha**

**Tuda gde my lubya svobodno peli**

**Gde bylo tak privol'no nam s toboju**

As if to complete the moment, Shuichi heard a beautiful voice singing a song. It was a woman and her voice was tranquil and yet, passionate at the same time. He couldn't understand what the woman was saying, but he knew whatever she was singing about was important to her. The meaning of the song was significant to her. He thought he heard the crackle of thunder in the distance, but dismissed it.

**Uletaj na kryl'jach vetra**

**Ty V kraj rodnoj, rodnaja pesnya nasha**

**Tuda gde my lubya svobodno peli**

**Gde bylo tak privol'no nam s toboju**

Shuichi closed his eyes, reveling in the woman's charming tone. He felt a slight tremor under his feet and realized that baby waves were forming under him. A light breeze tossed his hair as it passed by him. He was completely at peace. Shuichi spread his arms wide and took in the sun and the wind. A fluffy cloud passed over the sun and for a brief moment, shadows flew over the sea.

**Tam, pod znojnym nebom**

**negoj vozduch polon**

**Gde rad govor morja**

**Dremljut gory v oblakach**

Shuichi smiled as if he knew what the woman was singing about. Another cloud passed in front of the sun. This time, the darkness lingered slightly and Shuichi looked up. The clouds were not white and pure anymore… they were gray and ominous. The waves underneath him became stronger and bigger, the wind's pitch heightened. But still, Shuichi stood on top of the water.

**Uletaj na kryl'jach vetra**

**Ty V kraj rodnoj, rodnaja pesnya nasha**

**Tuda gde my lubya svobodno peli**

**Gde bylo tak privol'no nam s toboju**

He closed his eyes and breathed in the salty air. If his eyes had been open, he would've seen the flash of lightning. Shuichi heard a variety of instruments playing, but couldn't tell what any of them were. The arrangement was soothing, as if telling him not to fear the upcoming danger. The waves became larger and fiercer by the second, but they simply passed through him. The sea had yet to move him with its immense power.

The thunder roared in Shuichi's ears, boasting its importance. He opened his eyes and despite the darkness of the black clouds, he was not afraid. There was no sunlight anymore, but no fear struck his heart. He was powerful. Numerous lightning bolts collided with the ocean, illuminating the dark sky. The sound of a gentle piano echoed throughout his entire body. It was assuring him, assuring him that the water would always protect him.

**Uletaj na kryl'jach vetra**

**Ty V kraj rodnoj, rodnaja pesnya nasha**

**Tuda gde my lubya svobodno peli**

**Gde bylo tak privol'no nam s toboju**

This time around, the woman's words were full of power and conviction. This power could be his. Shuichi watched as a maelstrom formed a few feet away from him. The water was swirling and swirling, drawing all of the water in. Shuichi's body did not move. The black sky warned him of what could happen if he lost control. Bolts of lightning circled the maelstrom simultaneously, brightening the ocean with a large flash. No rain had fallen throughout the colossal storm.

Shuichi watched as Mother Nature retracted calmly. The maelstrom faded away into oblivion, the lightning ceased its striking, the thunder stopped its boasting, the wind ended its shrieking and the water's once fury-filled waves became silent. The skies eased and the clouds purified themselves. Shuichi closed his eyes and allowed the water to clutch his body tenderly.

* * *

Shuichi groaned and opened his eyes. _Why am I moving?_ He looked out and saw sand and sky passing him by. He sat up and realized that he was on top of Suzu's fire disk. It was taking him somewhere. 

"You've been sleeping for forever." Tiril remarked, making him jump and turn around. Tiril was sitting on Suzu's lap and Apollyon was sitting next to her. "We kinda threw you on and took off. You wouldn't wake up."

"Have a good sleep?" Suzu chuckled, putting her chin on top of Tiril's head.

"Hey… get off!" Tiril complained, pouting slightly.

"I have no idea." Shuichi shrugged. "Maybe I was really tired yesterday." His stomach growled loudly and he blushed. "I guess I missed breakfast."

"So did we." Apollyon spoke up. "I suggested that we eat together."

"That's where we're going!" Tiril chirped excitedly. "Remember that house we found underground? Well, that one was having a private party. But Suzu says that there are safe houses like that all over the desert."

"In the morning, the safe houses serve breakfast and show a movie. In the afternoon, they serve lunch and live entertainment is provided. At night, they serve dinner, but no activities are provided by the company." Suzu explained. "As expected, nighttime is party time there."

"Live entertainment is how demons make money here. Except you have to sign up weeks in advance." Tiril added on. "You need money, Shuichi."

"Why do I need money?" Shuichi asked, pointing at himself.

"Beyond the valley, there's a large city. The city, Nihilo, is situated on the coast of the ocean. In order to get a boat to carry you from Nihilo to Ichiban Castle, we'll need a lot of money. It's very expensive." Apollyon told the boy.

Shuichi groaned out loud and smacked his forehead. "Are you kidding me?" He pulled on his pink locks worriedly.

"Don't worry. I'm giving you half the fare." Suzu said nonchalantly.

"How?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side.

"I have gold in the bank at Nihilo." Suzu's eyes locked onto the sand ahead. "We're almost there." The fiery disk began lowering towards the sand.

"So… how much do I have to make?" Shuichi asked hopefully.

"One hundred gold." Suzu answered simply.

"WHAT?!?" Shuichi shrieked out. "How am I supposed to make that?"

"I'm going to see if I can get you a job singing at lunchtime. Tiril told me you had a good voice." Suzu grinned widely. "I can play the piano. We'll make it work."

Shuichi let out a long sigh. "If you do get the job, do not let it keep you from training with me. Time management is an imperative lesson for anyone to learn." Apollyon informed him seriously. The half-demon almost passed out at this point.

"Look on the bright side: Suzu's paying for half and she's even helping you pay for the other half." Tiril laughed out loud.

"Can I cut myself now or later?" Shuichi moaned mournfully.

"Oh relax." Suzu smacked him in the back of the head. "Just be glad we all thought ahead while you were snoring."

"Why can't you just pay for the whole thing?" Shuichi whined.

"I'd appreciate some gratitude here." Suzu narrowed her purple eye at Shuichi. "I don't have to pay for anything, you know."

"Ah, no, I'm very grateful. So grateful, I'm delirious!" Shuichi laughed nervously. "I'm so grateful, I could kiss you! One hundred is a lot less than two hundred!" _Please don't be mad…_

Suzu let out a loud laugh and Tiril joined in. The disk landed on the sand and disappeared. "Let's go have some lunch, shall we?" Suzu linked arms with Shuichi, who grinned at her happily. Apollyon shook his head as Tiril scampered up behind them and jumped onto Shuichi's shoulders.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat everyone's lunch!" Tiril proclaimed.

"Do that and I pulverize you." Suzu leered at the tiny boy.

"You'd have to catch me first!" Tiril stuck out his tongue. Shuichi smiled gently at his two friends. _No matter what destiny throws at me, I can take it._ Shuichi looked up at the sky as they set off towards the safe house. _As long as I have them._

* * *

**And that's a wrap for now. Chapter 30: The Libra and The Leo. **

**Two sworn enemies of Shuichi attack the group. They want revenge. How do they know Shuichi? And just _what_ did he do to anger them? Lol and if you're an avid Gravitation fanatic, you'll know who's coming after Shuichi. If not, then you'll have to wait to see.**


	41. Chapter 30: The Libra and The Leo

**Hey again! Hope everyone's summer is going well! I've been so busy lately: graduation, orientation, vacation, graduation parties, and of course... work in between. And now I've finally finished this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing my story, it means a lot to me! **

* * *

**_CHAPTER THIRTY:_**

**_THE LIBRA AND THE LEO_**

* * *

After a long and eventful lunch, Suzu knew all there was to know about Shuichi. Well, not everything, but most of it. She knew why Shuichi was in Hell, how he had gotten there, what he was trying to accomplish, etc. Because she was so old, the Golden Age wasn't new to her. Although she wasn't alive during it, she had heard much about it through her Grandmother.

Apollyon, Suzu, Tiril, and Shuichi were sitting at a table, amongst various others who were eating in the safe house. So far, no one had disturbed them. No one paid any special attention to them. Everything was peaceful and relaxing. There was even a jazz band playing in the background, completing the calm period.

"Interesting…" Suzu murmured, taking a sip of her strawberry daiquiri. "I had no idea that prophecy was about you."

"Wait… _**YOU**_ know what it is?!?" Shuichi hissed. "How do you know?"

"Yes." Apollyon narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Only a select few know of the prophecy."

"Her Grandma told her." Tiril piped up, shoveling some ice cream into his mouth.

"Thanks... all-knowing, mind-reader. Or whatever the heck you are." Suzu rolled her eyes. "Instead of worrying about how I know certain things, you should worry about him knowing everything." Stealing a look at Shuichi's still skeptical face, she let out a loud sigh. "Look, my Grandma only told me because I'm her heir. She didn't tell anyone else in the family, I can promise you that."

"It's not fair… I can't know until my Mom tells me and you already know." Shuichi pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, I can give you a clue if you want." Suzu smirked.

"Are you sure you can do that?" Shuichi asked eagerly, a grin lighting up his face. "Oh, who cares? Tell me, tell me!"

"You're going to lead us all by the time you're nineteen. That is, if you past your test here or whatever." Suzu, who had an affinity for chicken parmesan, ordered some more. Tiril shook his head at that and smiled.

"I'm going to be a leader? Me?" Shuichi pointed at himself dumbly.

"Yea… you have some leadership skills… but you have absolutely no experience in the political department. In other words, you're going to have your work cut out for you." Suzu shrugged nonchalantly.

"What are you talking about?" Shuichi frowned, confused.

"You're going to have to learn to be a diplomat, to accept criticism, to respect others, to compromise with jerks, to play political hardball, etc." Suzu ran her fingers through her hair. "You're going to be an important member of society; you're going to be famous. And you'll be scrutinized and analyzed in every way possible. If you accept the prophecy, you can forget privacy for the rest of your life."

"Gee… you make it sound like so much fun." Tiril slurped down more of his strawberry shake. "Hey, Shuichi, if you're going to be a leader one day, are you going to have a campaign? Are people gonna vote for you? If you travel the world and try and convert people, I wanna come!"

"Campaign? Votes? Traveling?" Shuichi pulled on his pink locks. "No, no, no!" _This is too much… I can see one thing in my future: stress-related disorders._

"Haha, here's his campaign slogan: COWER IN FEAR OF THE QUEER!" Suzu belted out, bursting into laughter. Tiril hooted along with her.

Shuichi's jaw dropped open, partially in shock, partially in anger. Apollyon couldn't help it, he let out a tiny chuckle. "Cower in fear of the queer! Cower in fear of the queer!" Tiril and Suzu began chanting.

"What does my sexual orientation have to do with my leadership role?" Shuichi snapped out defensively.

"'Ad hominem' or 'to the man'… people are jerks and they're going to overlook the facts. Instead of focusing the issue, the prophecy, people are going to focus on you as a half-demon, as a gay guy, as an eighteen-year-old. They're going to attack you personally." Suzu explained simply. "You're going to be ridiculed in every way possible, my friend."

"So, some idiot is going to stand up and say 'Why should I answer to the kid with pink hair?' Or some people aren't going to listen to what I have to say, because I'm gay?" Shuichi frowned slightly. "And because I'm a half-demon."

"Yeah… it's false logic. Your personal life should not impede on your ability to lead others." The female answered him. "Those people are focusing on the wrong aspects. So when that happens, when some sarcastic idiot holds up a sign that says 'Cower in Fear of the Queer', just ignore them." Shuichi smiled softly in reply.

"Maybe we should get going." Apollyon stood up a few moments later. "We have a lot of ground to cover, don't we?"

* * *

_I have been caught in despair for so long; I have forgotten who I used to be. I was a woman, I was a friend, I was a wife, I was a mother. I was many things… but I was never miserable. When did I become so cheerless? When I lost my purpose? But how… how could I have lost my purpose? Wasn't my purpose about being, about existing for all of them? Was that not my true purpose? If it was my true purpose, why was it snatched away from me? _

_My life was not perfect, my life was not paradise. I experienced joys and hardships equally. So why was it all taken away from me? Who despised me so? Who thought I deserved to suffer, who thought my family deserved to suffer? I know now, that I was the glue that held my family together. Or perhaps I was a key link in the once durable chain. A family is made up of bonds, both strong and weak. A family needs both to survive. My family needs me, but… I am not there._

Shuichi woke up from his nap, yawning slightly. The group was on top of Suzu's fiery disk, zipping along nicely. _One day, I'm going to see a psychiatrist and get that voice out of my head. _He sat up, shaking his head. Nothing but miles of desert surrounded them.

"And then the pirate cried out 'Gimme ma treasure!!!!' and pulled out his giganmous sword!" Tiril made the motion of unsheathing a sword.

"Giganmous?" Suzu raised a skeptical eyebrow, interrupting Tiril's story.

"It's a combination of gigantic and enormous. It's MY word!" Tiril mock glared at Suzu. "So don't you go using it! It's mine! Mine!"

"You sound like a two-year-old. My teddy! Mine!" Suzu teased, ruffling Tiril's hair. Shuichi watched the playful banter between them, shaking his head. "Well, I'm going to write a letter to George and Charles Merriam and ask them to place your word in the dictionary."

"You'd better!" Tiril grinned cheekily at Suzu. "Or else I'll tell Apollyon a secret about you." Apollyon let out a tired sigh.

"Oho! The PB is making threats, I see!" Suzu smirked menacingly, her teeth looking sharper than usual.

"What does PB stand for?" Shuichi laughed in disbelief. _How long have they been doing this? I feel bad for Apollyon, he must want to rip his ears off by now._

"Psychic brat." Apollyon spat out.

"Bring it, MD!!!" Tiril stood up suddenly, poised for the epic battle.

"Mangy dog." Apollyon answered before Shuichi could ask.

"I'm literally speechless." Shuichi stared at Tiril, who in that moment, looked just like Michael. _I remember him… brandishing his water guns… He used to be so cute and innocent…_ A look of sadness passed over his face. _But I can't let the past control me. I'm on a quest and I have to stick to it. No more being sad!_

Suzu let out a loud, feral growl that shocked Tiril into silence. "Hey, hey, I was just kidding." Tiril sat back down, stealing a frightened look at Shuichi. "Help me!!!" Shuichi and Apollyon stared questioningly at Suzu.

"It's not you." Suzu sniffed the air. "Something's coming."

"What is it?" Shuichi was by her side in a nanosecond, his pink head moving left and right. Out of nowhere, a big, balance scale dropped from the sky, landing perfectly in Shuichi's lap. "Where did this come from?" It was made of gold.

"That is no ordinary scale…" Tiril narrowed his eyes. "That balance has four scales, not two." And indeed, the boy was correct. The balance scale in Shuichi's lap had four scales. Apollyon picked the balance up and studied it.

"Each scale has a word written on the bottom: offensive, defensive, curative, and evasive." Suzu snatched it away from the Angel and slowly twirled the object around. "So… what does this mean? Why did this come crashing out of the sky?"

"Would you care to give it back to me?" A voice asked from behind them.

Suzu's fiery disk came to an immediate halt and the four beings whirled around. A blonde male wearing a white jacket, a pink shirt, and white pants floated before them. His brown eyes were laced with hatred. The unknown male held his hand out and the balance scale lifted up into the air, drifting back towards him.

"Why, Ma-kun, you started the fun without me? And here I thought we were best friends." Another male teleported into the area. He had short brown hair, but black shades obscured his eyes. He was wearing a peach-colored shirt and jeans. He grinned maliciously. "Well, I'm glad you didn't kill him without me." Apollyon rose to his feet protectively.

"That is your job, Ken-chan." Ma-kun used his free hand to tousle his delicate, golden locks. "We should end this now."

"Who are you people?" Suzu stood up furiously. "What do you want?"

"Be quiet, little girl. Our business is with Shuichi." Ken-chan snapped out.

"Little girl?" Suzu spat out, her purple eye now red.

"I don't even know them…" Shuichi muttered to Tiril. He then stood up next to Suzu. "I don't know you!"

"What you did to Taki was unforgivable!" Ken-chan and Ma-kun shouted out simultaneously.

"We've waited for the opportune moment to attack." Ken-chan crossed his arms over his chest.

"We've honed our abilities." Ma-kun held his grand, balance scale before them threateningly.

"You cannot win!" The duo finished angrily.

"Is that all?" Tiril was the last to rise to his feet. "You _can't_ win. It's four against two."

"How do you even know Taki?" Shuichi bit back his fear. He was encircled by beings that supported him, who loved him. However, his memories of Taki were not at all pleasant. He was conflicted, full of confidence and revulsion.

"The three of us were always together." Ma-kun narrowed his eyes.

"We supported Taki and he took care of us." Ken-chan snorted. "And to think, he was defeated by a pathetic half-demon like you."

"He wasn't defeated by me! He was defeated by the Angel of Vanity, Naytievanol." Shuichi held his chin up high. "And if you think you can get away with this act of revenge, you're wrong!" The half-demon was corroborated by Suzu, who growled again, her blood demanding that she fight and win.

"Lies, lies! We will put you through the same pain you put our beloved Taki through!" Ma-kun cried out holding his balance scale high in the air with both hands. "Ken-chan, do it now!"

"Yes, Ma-kun, it's time." Ken-chan held his hands out in front of him. Black and white swirling energy emitted from his hands until it formed into the ghostly form of a male lion. Ken-chan clapped his hands and the ghostly lion became solid. The lion was only a bit larger than average, but oddly colored. Its body was black as night, but its mane was a startling, bright white.

"How dare you… how dare you come to _ME_ seeking revenge when it was Taki who raped me?" Shuichi was pissed off. _Forget the fear,_ his mind had snapped at him. _This is a slap in the face. They need to be dealt with._

"Don't allow your anger to blind you. You must stay calm." Apollyon instructed, putting a hand on Shuichi's shoulder, but the boy brushed it off. The memories were too clear and painful. He began visualizing a tiny bubble.

Ma-kun rose higher in the air, still holding the balance up. Out of nowhere, one of the scales lifted itself up, causing the other three to drop with a clang. The lion's mane turned a bright, angry red. The lion let out an angry roar, stretching out its mighty claws. Suzu's fingernails grew longer and she grew fangs as well.

"Offense…" Tiril murmured silently. "-red is offense, Shuichi."

"You think you're so strong because you've got that beast under control?" Suzu growled out, flexing her long nails. "You have no idea what I'm capable of." The bubble appeared in air, unbeknownst to everyone but Shuichi.

"Offensive!" Ken-chan shouted out, pointing at Shuichi. "Attack!"

"Jump off now!!!" Shuichi snapped out at Suzu. Nodding her head, Suzu snatched Tiril by his waist and leapt off the motionless, fiery disk. Apollyon beat his mighty wings and took off. Shuichi turned to face the lion and simply glared at it. Just before the lion's strong paw reached Shuichi's head, a tiny pop was heard.

A gigantic, water cyclone appeared in air, blowing the lion a few hundred feet in the air. Shuichi jumped off the disk and Apollyon caught him. "Great job! Way to show them!" Tiril grinned widely.

"Attack!" Ken-chan shouted out again.

"We need to end this. We've got things to do." Suzu scowled, her hot blood demanding that she fight. The lion let out a loud roar and dove at Shuichi again. Suzu jumped in front of Shuichi and delivered a solid kick to the lion's flank. The lion was tossed back even more feet.

"Yeah… this is kind of boring." Tiril looked up at Ma-kun and smirked. He then yawned loudly. "Some demons you are. Aren't you fighting for Taki? Is this the best you've got?"

"Little manipulative bastard… I love him." Suzu let out a laugh, planting a kiss on Tiril's green head.

"I can fly on my own, you know!" Tiril protested, wriggling in Suzu's arms.

"Here, wait, I have an idea. Shuichi, you take care of the big, bad lion. These guys have a problem with you, not us." Suzu promptly let go of Tiril, who let out a scream as he plummeted towards the sand. "This can be like, training for you. Because, umm, fighting these idiots would be a waste of my energy."

Just before Tiril crashed to the ground, he released his beautiful, black wings and zipped back up to Suzu. "Are you trying to kill me?" Tiril shrieked out. "Next time, warn me before you do that!"

Ma-kun and Ken-chan grew furious at Suzu's words. Actually, they were mad at the fact that they were being ignored and belittled at the same time. "You think we can't defeat all of you?" The Offensive Scale shifted downwards, but another scale lifted up, destroying the equilibrium once again. Ma-kun shook his head. "Foolish, are we?"

"We were going to spare you three, but now-" Ken-chan smirked as the lion's mane changed from red to orange.

"Prepare to die!" Ma-kun and Ken-chan shouted out victoriously.

"Evasive." Ken-chan proclaimed proudly.

"What does evasive do?" Suzu muttered to herself.

The orange and black lion vanished right before their eyes. "What? Where did it go?" Tiril looked all around him. Apollyon's gasp answered his question. Everyone turned to him and stared in disbelief. The lion was now behind Apollyon, one of his paws lodged into Apollyon's back.

"A-Apollyon!" Shuichi screamed out as the Angel's blood flowed down onto the desert floor, staining the sand red. The lion then vanished and reappeared behind Suzu. However, Suzu was ready for it. Without turning around, she made two fists, swung them up rapidly, bashed the lion in both its eyes before it could attack her. The lion roared in pain and disappeared.

Suzu snapped her fingers and a white bunny with red eyes appeared. She pointed at Apollyon and the bunny flew over, latching itself onto Apollyon's back. Tiril and Shuichi watched in amazement as Apollyon's wound was rapidly healed.

"Wow… that's one cool rabbit." Tiril breathed out as the white bunny vanished with a poof.

_I want to do that one day… I want to summon, too!_ Shuichi grit his teeth in determination. _And maybe… maybe this is another test from them. Well, I'm going to show __them__ just how strong I've become!_

Shuichi conjured a gigantic bubble of water and formed it into ten clones of himself. The Shuichis quickly surrounded him. Suzu lifted her left fist in the air and it became engulfed in flames. Tiril's eyes became red and he grew fangs.

"I didn't know he could do that." Ken-chan bit his lip. "No matter…"

"Let's move to the ground!" The Shuichis shouted out. The real Shuichi allowed his copies to ferry him to the sand. He couldn't stay in Apollyon's arms forever, after all. And he, unlike the others, couldn't fly. Shrugging slightly, Suzu zipped down to the sand, her hand still flaming red. Tiril and Apollyon landed next.

Shuichi looked up and saw the menacing lion headed straight for him. He silently commanded two Shuichis to attack the lion while it was in the air. They began shooting at the lion with jets of acid, but the lion dodged them all. Shuichi didn't understand how the lion could move so fast while in the air.

Suzu heard the infamous clang, meaning that a scale had moved again. The lion's mane changed from orange to red. "Attack!" Ken-chan shouted out.

The lion dove at the Shuichis who tried to attack him and ripped right through them. The clones changed back into water and fell to the sand. Suzu flew forward and punched the lion in the jaw with her left fist. The lion's body was engulfed in angry, large flames.

Shuichi commanded two more of his clones to run over to the lion. The Shuichis climbed on top of the lion and converted themselves into giant pools of oil. Apollyon added his own fireballs to the explosive mix. The group leapt back as the lion's body blew up and ash and smoke surrounded the area.

Due to the explosion, no one heard the clang of a scale being moved. No one heard Ken-chan say: "Curative."

"Yeah!!" Suzu pumped her fist in the air and looked at the Shuichis. "Wherever you are, we did it!"

"We sure did!" The Shuichis answered her, grinning widely.

"Woot!!" Tiril giggled, doing a little dance. The smoke cleared and they saw the lion standing there, completely healed. "Impossible…" However, its mane was green now.

"We've been attacking the wrong target. That scale controls every aspect of the lion's power." Apollyon pointed up at Ma-kun and the balance scale he held in his hands. The clang was heard once again and the lion's mane changed from green to orange.

"Suzu and Tiril! Go destroy the scale!" The Shuichis commanded. "Pollyon and I will take the lion."

"Aye-aye!" Suzu grinned and flew up to Ma-kun, partially surprised at the foresight apparent in his eyes. Tiril zipped up into the air so that he was behind the demon. Ma-kun spun around swiftly and whacked Tiril's head with the balance. Tiril went flying into the air, screaming in pain, a trail of blood flying after him.

"Tiril!!" Suzu cried out, flying towards him. The lion appeared in front of Tiril's moving body. It sliced its entire claw down Tiril's tiny back, his blood spurting out everywhere. The lion vanished once again. Suzu caught up with Tiril and held his tiny body in her arms.

"Foolish…" Ken-chan let out a laugh.

_It's going to take longer to heal his wounds…_ Suzu flew back to the ground, where the Shuichis and Apollyon met her immediately. She took the brooch off Tiril and placed it on the ground, activating the barrier. She snapped her fingers and the same bunny appeared.

Suzu placed Tiril on the sand and the bunny latched onto his stomach. "How could they?" Suzu snarled out, literally shaking in anger.

"We won't forgive you!" The Shuichis shouted out at Ken-chan and Ma-kun. Each Shuichi began thinking of two bubbles. Fourteen water cyclones would be released upon the deadly lion. All the Shuichis jumped outside the barrier, glaring up at the two demons.

"One down, two to go." Ma-kun scoffed, gripping his bloodstained balance. Suzu leapt out of the barrier and so did Apollyon, but the Angel stayed near the barrier. He didn't want anything to happen to Tiril while Suzu's rabbit was healing him. Suzu stood in front of all the Shuichis, her arms crossed over her chest.

Fourteen bubbles appeared in the air, hovering about innocently. Suzu turned to one Shuichi and whispered in his ear: "Wait till I give you the signal."

The real Shuichi overheard and all of them nodded. _True… while the lion's mane is orange, it's impossible to catch. It's too fast. When the mane changes from orange to red… that's when he's most vulnerable. But… how can we get rid of that scale? _The Shuichis frowned in concentration.

The lion materialized above one of the Shuichis, but Suzu was faster. She grabbed the lion its dangling tail and flung it away. As it was flying off in the air, the lion faded away once again.

"Stupid beast…" Suzu snarled. "No mere lion can ever be faster than me!"

_I didn't even realize it… how is she so fast? She's even faster than the lion._ Shuichi thought to himself. _Suzu should be the one to distract the lion._ _Then I'll go and destroy the scale… but how? _He inwardly winced, remembering the fatal crack as the balance met Tiril's skull._ It's obviously not made of Styrofoam. _

Another clang resonated through the silent desert and the lion reappeared, its mane red. Suzu leapt at it greedily. The lion dove at Suzu, its jaw opened wide. Suzu's fists became enflamed and she punched the lion on both sides of its head.

The lion's head exploded into flames and Suzu soared away, giving all the Shuichis a look. The fourteen bubbles instantly surrounded the lion and popped. Fourteen water tornadoes ravaged the desert, tossing the lion's body in between. These tornadoes reached up so high, Ma-kun and Ken-chan were caught up in the watery chaos as well.

"Shuichi! Now!!" Suzu saw Ma-kun drop the balance. Five Shuichis leapt up into mess of cyclones, trying to find the balance amongst the water. One clone and the real Shuichi stayed behind. Suzu herself began flying about, trying to find it. However, it was Apollyon who emerged from the water, grasping the balance, a proud smirk on his face.

"When did you get there?" Suzu flew over to Apollyon, her jaw open in shock. The Shuichis let out a cheer as the five other clones returned to the ground. The search was over. The real Shuichi let out two more bubbles, wanting to make sure Ma-kun and Ken-chan… were kept busy.

"You were not the only one who spotted the demon let go of the balance. I watched it fall and locked my eyes onto it." Apollyon smirked at her. Two more cyclones joined the party, making the watery storm a sweet sixteen.

Apollyon placed the balance on the ground. "Melt it." He ordered, releasing a bunch of fireballs. The fireballs began to bombard the balance. Suzu held her hands out towards the balance and two streams of fire shot out at the balance. The seven Shuichis rearranged themselves so that they were surrounding Apollyon and Suzu. The real Shuichi kept an eye on Tiril, who was still inside the barrier.

"THE SCALE IS MINE!!!!!!" A furious voice froze all of them. A completely drenched Ma-kun hovered above them. He held one hand out and the balance began to move upwards, despite the fact that it was being melted.

The Shuichis commanded their respective water cyclones to move towards Ma-kun, leaving Ken-chan and the lion to plummet to the sand. _They're down for now. As long as he doesn't get that scale…_ Suzu scowled and forced more of her energy into her streams of fire. _If he gets that scale…_

A gust of wind blew under the ascending balance scale and began to lift it even faster. _Where did that wind come from?_ Apollyon looked up at Ma-kun.

Ma-kun had both hands outstretched now. The scale was moving closer and closer to him, no matter how much firepower Suzu and Apollyon poured into their attacks. _I can't even attack the stupid thing with all my strength… because my summon is still healing Tiril…_ Suzu growled with anger. _Shuichi, do something!_

The water cyclones halted in their tracks. _If I bring them any closer, they'll douse the flames. Then he'll surely get the balance. What do I do??_ Shuichi groaned in his head. _Oh wait… I've got it._ The roaring twisters slowly vanished, one by one. Then the same five Shuichis attacked the balance with flammable acid.

The balance slowed considerably as the Shuichis attacked it. _What should I do with the last one?_ Shuichi thought to himself. _Ma-kun is up there, by himself. However… if I attack with the last one, that will leave me temporarily still. If he sees this, he might guess that I'm the real one._

Shuichi then decided what to do. He commanded the last clone to copy the others and jumped up as high as he could. While in the air, Shuichi sprayed the same exact acid, aiming at the demon's head. Ma-kun instinctively covered his face with his hands, but his arms got burned in the process.

Shuichi landed on the ground and concentrated on the blood running through the blonde's veins. He thought of the blood becoming hotter and hotter and unbearable. Ma-kun began to scream and scream, because Shuichi's thoughts had become reality.

"I think you did it!!" Suzu shouted out as Ma-kun began to fall. His eyes were closed and his body slumped forward. "Let's finish this!!!" The demon's body plunged towards the deadly flames and the burning balance.

Apollyon realized that something was wrong when he saw Ma-kun's supposedly unconscious body heading straight for the balance. "It's a trick!" He shouted out, but it was too late. Ma-kun's hands grasped onto the half-melted balance. The moment his fingertips touched it, a grand gust of wind carried his body high into the air. The Shuichis, Apollyon, and Suzu ceased their attacks.

A loud clang was heard and the trio watched in shock as the balance returned to its previous state. There was no evidence of it ever being burned. Ma-kun let out a laugh as Ken-chan stood up. He had been faking as well.

"It's about time." Ken-chan snorted. Three Shuichis ran towards him. The lion's body rose into the air, its mane green. Once again, all damage was reversed. Another rapid clang sounded. The lion's mane was red. The beast viciously clawed through two clones, returning them to water. Clang. The lion's mane became orange again. Apollyon instantly flew back towards the barrier where Tiril lay.

Shuichi gulped, turning towards Suzu and Apollyon. Apparently, this was a mistake. The last thing he saw was a shadow over his head. The lion's massive body dropped down onto Shuichi, effectively body slamming the half-demon to the ground. Shuichi felt pain spread throughout his entire body as he was crushed between the sand and the lion's body. It didn't help that all four of the lion's paws were embedded into four different locations on Shuichi's body.

_I guess I shouldn't have singled myself out…_ Shuichi thought to himself as he felt his power fading away from him. Just like last time, controlling water clones and their powers took too much of his energy out of him. Suzu soared over to the lion, but it vanished, leaving Shuichi's crushed and bloody body behind.

"Shuichi… are you okay?" Suzu held Shuichi in her arms and turned him over so she could see his face. She watched in horror as one by one, Shuichi's clones faded away, becoming mere water droplets on the sand.

"I'm done… I'm sorry, Suzu." Shuichi smiled sadly. He knew he had reached his limit. Suzu's lip quivered and she stood up, still holding Shuichi. Clang. The lion rematerialized right in front of them, its mane red. The beast was too close too soon. Suzu jumped back, trying to avoid the lion's claws.

The lion literally threw its body at Suzu, attempting to body slam her. Suzu angrily kicked the lion away. Suzu reached Apollyon and handed Shuichi to the Angel. She then flew off, into the air. Clang. "Defensive!" Ken-chan snapped out.

_I can only heal one at a time… but Shuichi is bleeding too much. Tiril has to be okay by now._ Suzu bit her lip in worry as Apollyon placed Shuichi's body next to Tiril's and exited the barrier. She wove her hand and the white bunny lifted off of Tiril. It drifted over to Shuichi's body and attached itself to his chest.

Suzu glared at the lion and its new blue mane. _This is a new one… defensive. Why would they possibly want the lion to defend now?_ She was confused.

_Either way… that thing has to be stopped now!_ Suzu's red eye found Ma-kun's brown ones. She wordlessly soared up towards him, her now enflamed fist pulled back; ready to deliver the final punch. Just as she reached Ma-kun, just as her fist began moving towards him, the lion appeared right in between Ma-kun and Suzu.

Suzu couldn't stop and her fiery fist hit the lion right in the face. But… nothing happened. The lion's face didn't burst into flames, its body didn't even _move_. Suzu stared in shock for a second, then rapidly pulled her fist back and tried again. Still, the lion stayed immobile, completely unaffected by her attack.

_Now that is what I call solid defense… Not much I can do in this case._ Suzu cursed to herself. _All I can do is wait the darned thing's mane to change color. They have the power now… and they know it._

Suzu zipped back down so that she was standing next to Apollyon. "Any bright ideas?" Suzu let out a long sigh, leaning against the barrier.

_Tiril is out… I'm not even sure if my bunny healed him all the way, but he definitely can't fight. Shuichi used up too much of his energy and even if his physical wounds are completely healed, he'll still be exhausted. With that lion's defense, I can't get to Ma-kun and the balance. There's no point in attacking Ken-chan or the lion… I need that balance destroyed…_ Suzu was out of options. This was beginning to anger her. There was always a way to win. There had to be something she could do.

"Are you ready to give up now?" Ken-chan burst out laughing, pissing Suzu off even more. "Or will you surrender Shuichi? He's the only thing we want."

"Never!" Suzu spat out angrily, her demonic energy swirling around her for a nanosecond. _There has to be something I can do… I can't let them have Shuichi!_

"I don't understand why you'd bother to protect him. He's useless, weak… he doesn't deserve to be alive." Ma-kun sniffed indignantly. "He's a worthless half-demon, a former prostitute, and Taki's murderer."

"Give his body to us so that he may join Taki in-" Ken-chan suggested.

"SHUT UP!" Suzu screamed out, so angry she was seeing red.

"Suzu, calm down. They want you to get angry." Apollyon took Suzu by the shoulders and shook her. "Don't fall into their trap." Suzu started to growl uncontrollably. _If she's anything like Kizura…_ The Angel of Hell inwardly sighed.

"Give us the half-breed faggot! Give him to us!" Ma-kun taunted. "And when Taki and Shuichi are together again, he will do nothing more than ravage the boy, every day for the rest of eternity. It was Taki's last wish. We will bring Shuichi to Saiaku."

"So you openly admit… condoning a rapist?" Suzu laughed to herself, shaking her head. Ken-chan and Ma-kun stared down at her for a moment, unsure of what to do or say. "I see… you're both as good as dead then."

In a short amount of time, Shuichi and Tiril had become very dear to her. Suzu protected what was dear to her, no matter what the cost. And unlike many other beings in the universe, Suzu actually had the capability to protect what was dear to her, no matter who her enemy was.

"You kill us?" Ken-chan burst out laughing. Apollyon raised his eyes to the heavens and stepped back into the barrier. He knew that whatever was going to happen was going to be ugly… and he didn't feel like getting caught in the crossfire.

"She's got spirit, Ken-chan. Maybe we should take her with us." Ma-kun grinned widely. "I like souvenirs." Apollyon said a silent prayer, hoping that the barrier would hold. He could feel Suzu's anger growing with each second.

Suzu turned around and looked at Shuichi and Tiril. Time seemed to freeze. To her amazement, Tiril sat up and flew over to her, leaving the barrier. She stared at him, believing that his head injury must've been more serious than she thought. His eyes were unfocused and hazy… but there was an implicit confidence about him.

"Suzu… it's ok. You can let go." The Fallen Angel murmured, plopping down onto Suzu's left shoulder. "You're stronger than all of us put together… and it's time you showed them, for me… and for Shuichi. They've soiled his name with their words." Ken-chan, Ma-kun, the lion, and Apollyon were still motionless.

"What's wrong with you?" But even as Suzu heard Tiril's words, her anger increased sevenfold. It was almost as if… the boy was a trigger, an instigator. _And how could he possibly know about my powers? He's barely conscious… _

"You see, I have this random phrase floating around in my skull. It was never there before or maybe it was and I just didn't know it. I don't know what it means… but I do know you need to hear it." Tiril continued on, ignoring her.

"O-okay… what's the phrase?" Suzu was seriously freaked out by this point. _It's almost like we're the only two beings alive at the moment. What is going on?!?_

"_Cave canem." _Tiril whispered into Suzu's ear, the fatal words causing time to unfreeze. His body returned to its original position, lying down inside the barrier.

Suzu let out a wild, high-pitched scream. Multicolored, demonic energy swirled all around the desert. The sky turned black and the sun seemed to disappear. The energy around her was so powerful, it generated wind and swirled her hair about, revealing two bright, red eyes. A white flash covered the desert for a nanosecond and then disappeared.

Ken-chan and Ma-kun both paled at this sight. Fear was literally choking them, rendering them frozen. Suzu shrieked again and six massive, ghostlike figures appeared in the dark sky. They all had identical, glowing silver eyes, which cast light onto the dark desert. Another white flash illuminated the dark sky.

Apollyon's jaw dropped as he finally made out what the figures were: six dog heads. Each furry, black head was identical to the one next to it. Their ears were upright and sharp. Suzu screamed even louder, causing all the silver eyes to turn red and the white flashes to occur more frequently. The sight was so ominous, Apollyon was almost scared.

"_YOU_!" Suzu had finally turned her attention to Ken-chan and Ma-kun. The two males looked at each other in terror. Another form appeared in the sky and it was much higher in the air than the dogs. It was a huge, black rabbit with red eyes. Unlike the dogs, the rabbit's entire body was visible.

Apollyon looked down at Shuichi and the same tiny bunny was still healing him. _I had no idea she could do that… _The Angel of Hell thought to himself. _I had no idea she was so strong._ Ken-chan and Ma-kun started to screech in fear.

The black rabbit began plummeting towards the sand, like a giant, black meteor. One by one, the dogs' heads began rising up and assimilating into the black rabbit, making it grow in power, speed, and size. Ken-chan and Ma-kun tried to fly away, but their shock had prolonged their movement for too long. They could not escape. Suzu's summon crashed right into them. A million flashes of white light accompanied by loud booming and cracking noises, filled the desert.

The flashes stopped a few moments later and Apollyon couldn't see anything but he knew the rabbit was gone. Strong winds whipped and screeched about the desert. The force from it was so strong, it blew Suzu right back into the barrier. Her eyes changed from red to purple and she fell to the sand, unconscious.

Then finally… all was still. Personally, the Angel was shocked that the barrier stood still during Suzu's attack. The sky changed from black to blue and he could see the sun once again. Once he was able to see what was in front of him, the Angel's eyes widened in astonishment.

* * *

Shuichi groaned and opened his eyes. His body ached a little bit, but besides that, he was fine. The half-demon sat up and rubbed his eyes._ What am I doing here again? _He slowly got to his feet, not even realizing that Apollyon was sitting a few feet behind him. _I'm inside the barrier?_

Shuichi saw something weird a few feet away from him. It looked as though there was a piece of the desert missing. He wanted to know what was going on, so he ran outside the barrier… and nearly had a heart attack.

The boy found himself facing a colossal crater, right smack in the middle of the desert. It had to be at least three times as wide as the lake he had frozen and five times deeper. He couldn't even see the bottom of the crater. It looked as if someone had dropped a gigantic meteor right in front of them. But who did it? Who could do such a thing?

Shuichi looked down into the darkness of the crater and shivered. The hole was so big and wide… but luckily the meteor hadn't harmed him. Wait… that was odd. What were the chances that a meteor would strike Hell and just barely miss him while he was sleeping? Something wasn't right…

Then it all hit him at once. "Ken-chan! Ma-kun!" The teen shouted out, looking all around for the duo and their lion. He strained his ears to listen for the sound of that warning clang… but nothing. There was no sign of Taki's subordinates or their pet.

Shuichi turned around and saw Apollyon sitting inside the barrier. Tiril and Suzu were knocked out. He ran back into the barrier, breathless with confusion.

"What happened? What's going on?" Shuichi demanded, standing in front of Apollyon. "Where did Ken-chan and Ma-kun go? Did we win? Did the meteor…"

"That was no meteor." Apollyon took a deep breath. "I almost didn't believe it when I saw it myself. It was…"

"Me." Shuichi whirled around, staring in shock at Suzu. "I just got so angry… and I lost control." Suzu sat up, her purple eye a tad saddened.

"You did that?" Shuichi whispered out, shock almost taking him.

"I know, I know…" Suzu let out a sigh, running her fingers through her hair. "You can say it."

"Say what?" Shuichi was confused. "Wait, just wait. So… you did it. You killed them both? And the balance? And the lion?"

"There's nothing left. My summon… destroyed them on impact." Suzu smiled, but her eye was still sad. Shuichi didn't understand why.

"But that's a good thing! You did it! We should be celebrating!" Shuichi let out a whoop of joy. "I just wasn't sure what happened. We can continue on towards the castle! You did it!"

"You don't think… I'm a monster?" Suzu muttered quietly.

"No, of course not. You're my friend, Suzu." Shuichi knelt down next to Suzu, putting a hand on her shoulder. "As a matter of fact… I'm jealous of you. You did what I couldn't. You defeated them… all on your own."

"You don't want to be powerful… it makes others fear you. They look at you differently." Suzu refused to meet Shuichi's eyes.

"No! I want you… I want you to train me!" Shuichi shouted out instantly. "I need to be stronger… I wasn't strong enough to defeat Ken-chan and Ma-kun. Horobosu is still out there… and I know I'm not strong enough to defeat him. I know I'll be facing more and more battles in the future. I want to be prepared for them. I want you… to train me. Please, Suzu."

"What?" Suzu raised an eyebrow. "I think that's the shock talking. Why should I train you? Isn't he supposed to be doing that?" Suzu pointed at Apollyon.

"I'd have to agree with her." Apollyon stated, frowning slightly. "The High Angels wouldn't like that." Suzu snorted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I know… you're light years older than me. I know that I can never be as strong as you and I know that our powers aren't the same." Shuichi persisted, looking directly at Suzu. "But… I just know we met for a reason. Friends are supposed to bring out the best in each other. And I know… I just know that if you train me, if you teach me to fight, you won't regret it. I promise."

"I'm your friend… well, in that case, let's be honest with each other." Suzu narrowed her purple eye. "If I'm going to train you, it's not going to be easy. You're going to wake up with aches and pains and you won't even recall how you got them because you'll be too exhausted to bother remembering.

"If I'm going to train you, your powers will increase tenfold over and over. You'll be stronger than half your race, I can guarantee that. And once you get back up to the Demon Realm and everyone sees how strong you've become… they'll constantly expect it from you. They'll never look at you the same. Some might look at you with respect, others with fear.

"And don't forget… I also taught you how to summon. Are you really willing to place yourself so far apart from everyone else? Are you willing to walk a path many others do not?" Suzu enlightened the boy.

"What do you mean?" Shuichi blinked his purple orbs.

"The more power you gain, the less they understand you. You're rising above the average, moving closer and closer to extraordinary. You'll be different than they are, much different. And because of that, they will lack the ability to truly understand you." Suzu ran her fingers through her hair. "To be different sometimes means to be alone. Are you sure you can handle that?"

"I'm going to be alone either way." Shuichi's eyes hardened. "This prophecy sets me apart from everyone. If I'm going to be… a leader… a leader needs to be strong. I know now, I know now that you're stronger than all of us. I can't face… whatever lies ahead… if I'm not as strong as I could possibly be."

"Good point." Suzu shrugged her shoulders. "You start tomorrow. However…" She waltzed over to Tiril and shook him awake. He yawned sleepily and grumbled to himself. "I'm training you, too." Suzu smirked down at the Fallen Angel, whose eyes finally focused completely as they locked onto her in wonder.

**

* * *

**

**Next up... **

**Chapter Thirty-One: The One-Winged Angel**

**What happens when an Angel loses a wing? **


	42. Chapter 31: The One Winged Angel

**Hey everyone! ****Okay, first off, the flashbacks in the beginning of the chapter are not in chronological order. **

**Secondly, it took me a long time to write and finish this chapter, so I hope you like it! **

**Thirdly, if it wasn't for these songs, I probably wouldn't have finished it: "Typical" by Mute Math, "This is How I Disappear" by MCR, "Taiji-oku" from Inuyasha & "Sadness and Sorrow" from Naruto. So hooray for good music! **

**And finally, 2 mystery people show up. You observant readers will certainly have no trouble guessing who they are. I'm sorry for taking so long, but look! Thirty pages! Enjoy! **

* * *

**_CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:_**

**_THE ONE-WINGED ANGEL_**

* * *

In a mere month, Shuichi's powers _**did**_ grow immensely. He could create and maintain about thirty clones of himself, create and use an icy disk (similar to Suzu's fiery disk), and quickly construct an almost impervious ice barrier around himself. 

Tiril learned to form green and orange energy blasts and utilize them as swiftly as possible. In any given situation, he could instantly release the barrier inside his brooch. He no longer needed to put the brooch on the ground. Tiril also learned to fly faster and longer distances.

Suzu trained them relentlessly from Monday to Friday. She was determined to tire them out as much as possible. They did the same thing every day: Wake up, safe house for breakfast, train, train, train, train, safe house for lunch, then work (because Shuichi had to sing there to make money), train, train, train, train, train, then safe house for dinner, train, train, and then they had about three hours of free time before their designated "bedtime".

Saturdays and Sundays were different because on Saturdays they only trained for five hours instead of their usual ten and on Sundays, they didn't train at all. So weekends became fun, especially because of Suzu's laptop.

Shuichi was lying on his back, staring up at the stars. He smiled, remembering all the crazy training session he had went through with Suzu. She was quite a teacher; merciless, borderline homicidal, but a good teacher nonetheless...

* * *

"Why do I have to train, too?" Tiril asked for the umpteenth time. 

"We're not running a babysitting service here, little boy." Suzu glared down at the Fallen. "You need to learn to defend yourself."

_**

* * *

**_

Shuichi fell on the ground breathlessly. He was exhausted beyond belief. He couldn't even wiggle his big toe. "Suzu… please, we've trained enough for today. I'm too tired." The half-demon was covered with sweat and bruises… and the desert heat certainly didn't make him feel any better.

"How tired?" Suzu loomed over him, smirking slightly. "Too tired to put up with me beating you up? Or are you so tired if Yuki materialized right in front of you and said 'Let's have sex now' you would say: 'Sorry Yuki, I'm too tired'?"

"Hell no!" Shuichi blurted out instantly… then realized his mistake.

"Well then… you're not tired." Suzu snorted, picking Shuichi up by the neck. "Five hundred crunches, right now." Shuichi groaned out loud.

_**

* * *

**_

Suzu created a huge fireball and left it hovering in the air a few feet away from Shuichi. "Don't talk to me until you can freeze this fireball in one shot." Suzu instructed the half-demon, plopping down onto the sand.

She then snapped her fingers and her white bunny appeared. The bunny rose into the air and began flying around rapidly. "Catch it." Suzu said simply to Tiril. Tiril instantly released his wings and soared up into the air.

"It's too fast!" Tiril whined out, stretching out his tiny hands, desperately trying to catch the white bunny.

"It's too big!" Shuichi cried out simultaneously after his first three tries had failed miserably.

Suzu in response, conjured a laptop and turned it on. "Oh that's funny… I thought I heard something… must've been the wind." The demon chuckled to herself. "Now then… I need to play Bejeweled. Somebody beat my score."

Shuichi's jaw dropped. "How did you do that? Can you teach me?" The half-demon scurried over to Suzu. Suzu lifted a finger and a fireball blasted into Shuichi, knocking the boy a few feet back. "Hey! What was that for??"

"You're learning how to survive. You see that fireball right there? It's motionless right now, but what if it was mobile? What if it was bigger? What if it contained a toxin of some sort? You'll never know, but wouldn't it be better to prevent it from touching you rather than complaining that it's too big?

"Because I can assure you, your opponent will make that fireball as big and as dangerous as possible." Suzu rolled her eyes. "The same goes for you, Tiril. Now stop bothering me."

"But… when can I learn to make a computer appear out of thin air?" Shuichi persisted. Tiril nodded his head excitedly.

"Conjuring my laptop has nothing to do with survival. It's merely convenient for me." Suzu snorted, rapidly typing in a website. "Once you learn how use your magic to survive, then you can worry about using your powers for convenience."

"Oh." Shuichi said, slightly disappointed. However, her words did make sense. So he ran back over to the giant fireball and began to focus.

_

* * *

_

"The fact that you can't fly is a definite drawback." Suzu crossed her arms over her chest. Tiril was greedily drinking water from a bottle.

"Apollyon said he could teach me! Remember?" Shuichi grinned widely, turning to the Angel of Hell. The male in question was sitting inside of Tiril's barrier. He wasn't training, so it didn't make any sense for him to be out in the extreme heat.

"Yeah, but who knows how long it'll take? Plus, let's not forget that you're a half-demon. Some half-demons just _**can't**_ fly. It's the human in them." Suzu shrugged. "Nothing personal, it's just that we don't have that much time."

"Okay…" Shuichi sighed, chewing on his bottom lip.

"However, you do need to be able to ascend into the air. No matter how fast you can run or how high you can jump, flying is the best way to travel." Suzu began pacing around. "Alright, I've got it!"

"Does it involve you stuffing my head into the sand again?" Shuichi muttered darkly. "It took me forever to get all the sand out of my hair…"

"Actually… Tiril did that, not me." Suzu snickered gleefully.

"You said you wouldn't tell!" Tiril glared at Suzu. "Stupid mutt!"

"Is that any way to speak to your Sensei? Bow to your Sensei!" Suzu punched Tiril in the back of the head. "Bow!" Tiril replied by sticking out his tongue and flying away. Suzu growled menacingly and followed him.

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching me?" Shuichi grumbled a few minutes later, as Suzu was _still_ chasing Tiril halfway around the desert. The tiny boy nodded eagerly, hoping that if Suzu was distracted long enough, she would finally forget about his rude behavior.

Suzu finally stopped in her tracks, turning to Shuichi apologetically. The demon then put a finger on her chin. "Oh yeah, about that… I'll teach you tomorrow. You have the rest of the day off, Shu." The demon then whirled around, facing Tiril. "You, however, do not."

Tiril let out a shriek and took off into the air. Shuichi let out a whoop of joy and dove inside the barrier, where Suzu's laptop was waiting for him.

_

* * *

_

"Assume the position!" Suzu barked out. The afternoon sun was glaring at Shuichi's back.

_I've assumed the position about fifty million times…_ Shuichi thought bitterly. He was tired of doing the same thing for hours. But… he did want to fly, if not naturally, then by magic. So he obeyed, "assuming the position" once again:

Shuichi placed his left leg in front of his right, as if he was walking. He lowered his body and kept his left knee bent. He leaned forward so that all of his right foot was in the air, but his right toes were pressed to the floor. He held his left arm out in front of him as if he was checking the time. Then finally, he placed his right fingertips on the ground and made sure they were equally spread apart.

"Now… lift!" Suzu shouted out.

Shuichi slowly, carefully lifted his right fingertips off of the sand, bringing an icy disk up with it. It was the same width and diameter as Suzu's fiery disk; but it wasn't as fast as hers and while Suzu could summon hers by will, Shuichi had to "assume the position", in order to beckon his.

It was easy enough to dismiss the icy disk, all Shuichi had to do was change it into water or vapor. So far, no fireball or energy blast could destroy the disk. Because Shuichi didn't always summon his icy disk on the first try, Suzu made him practice the position over and over again. It was strenuous, it was stressful, but Shuichi was happy. He could finally be able to fly.

_

* * *

_

"Is everyone ready?" Suzu turned to Tiril, who was on her right, and then Apollyon, who was on her left. The two males nodded. Suzu looked up at Shuichi, who was hovering in the air, on top of his icy disk.

"Are _you_ ready, Shuichi?" Suzu smirked at the half-demon, who looked half-nervous, half-excited. Tiril released his wings and ascended into the air so that he was facing Shuichi. Apollyon flew up also, but he was behind Shuichi.

"I am!" Shuichi shouted out. _This is it… I can do this. Concentrate, Shuichi._

Suzu held her hands out in front of her and formed a fireball on top of each fingertip. Apollyon did the same and Tiril rapidly formed a whirring, green and orange energy blast. They all released their attacks at the same time, aiming for Shuichi.

Shuichi mentally steered his icy disk as fast as he could, ascending and descending, moving to the right and to the left, in order to dodge their attacks. The three beings never ceased in their attacks. Numerous fireballs and energy blasts flew at Shuichi. He tried to dodge them all, but one of Tiril's energy blasts hit him in the back. His concentration was broken for a mere second, but that was all the time his opponents needed.

"Aaaaaah!" Shuichi cried out as about ten fireballs bombarded his body. He fell off the icy disk and plummeted for a few feet. His icy disk hastily descended and caught his body before he crashed to the ground. Fireballs and energy blasts were still coming at the half-demon. _Faster, I need to steer it faster._ Shuichi grit his teeth, regaining his concentration. _I can do this!_

_

* * *

_

Shuichi quickly finished his lunch, wiping his hands on his legs. He was about to sing for the first time in under an hour, and he was nervous. Well, at least this job didn't involve any taxes or lengthy job interviews or fights with coworkers. How Suzu had got him a job singing Monday through Friday every week Shuichi didn't know. It couldn't have been easy, but then again she could be very persuasive.

"On a scale of one to ten, how worried are you?" Suzu plopped down in the seat next to him, placing a full plate of food on the table.

"Ten billion." Shuichi mumbled darkly, running his fingers through his hair. "I have no idea what to sing… I keep trying to think of an easy song, but I can't think of anything."

"Yeah, but you won't be up there alone! You'll be with me and the piano the safe house people provide!" Suzu grinned joyfully and stuffed her mouth full of rice.

"Safe house people?" Shuichi replied, smiling slightly.

"Well, the owners or whoever they are. They provide all the instruments and sound equipment needed." Suzu gulped down her third strawberry milkshake. "All you have to do is open your mouth and sing into the microphone."

"But… I can't pick a song. Suzu, I can't do this." Shuichi groaned out loud.

Tiril skipped over to their table and sat down next to Suzu. He was so hungry, he didn't say anything and began to stuff every bit of food down his throat, only pausing to chew and breathe through his nose.

"Fine. I'll pick the song, you loser." Suzu rolled her eyes. "And if it makes you feel any better, I'll sing with you, too."

Tiril choked on his food and started laughing. "Like _you_ have a good singing voice." He snorted, snatching his chocolate milk. Unfortunately, no sooner did he say this did his brain tell him matter-of-factly: _"She does."_ He inwardly cursed his inner voice, the voice that was always right no matter what.

Suzu responded by punching him in the back of head and Tiril spit his milk out in shock. "OW!" Tiril glared at the demon. "I'm sorry… jeez." Shuichi burst out laughing at that.

"When I have you guys with me, how could I possibly be nervous?" Shuichi grinned widely. Apollyon approached the table, sat down, and began to calmly sip his tea. He took one look at the spilled milk on the table and shook his head.

"One of you is going to have to clean that up." Apollyon applied a generous amount of Caesar salad dressing on top of his salad.

"Ch, you heard the Angel." Suzu crossed her arms over her chest and refused to look at Tiril. "Clean it up, brat!"

"You can't make me!" Tiril smirked, knowing it would infuriate her.

"Who's your sensei?" Suzu hissed furiously, ready to punch Tiril again.

Tiril in response, picked up some of his pudding and flung it right into her face. Suzu's jaw dropped open in shock… and then she licked some of the pudding off her. Shuichi was holding his stomach in laughter at this point. Suzu's eye flashed red for an instant and Tiril paled, knowing he had gone too far.

Suzu took one look at Tiril's plate of food and it immediately went up in flames. "SUZU!!!!!" Tiril stood up in surprise, gawking at the mini inferno that had materialized in front of him. "That was my lunch!"

Shuichi quickly doused the flames before any one else in the safe house noticed. They were beginning to get stares from other demons. Tiril pouted at the ashes, the remains of his lunch.

"Why'd you have to do that?" Tiril grumbled, slumping down in his chair. Suzu rolled her eyes and shoved her plate over to Tiril. His eyes lit up and he stared up at her in happiness. "Thanks, Suzu!" Shuichi shook his head.

"I'll be right back." Suzu stood up and returned to the buffet line. Tiril wasted no time in eating Suzu's food. Apollyon smiled softly at Suzu's back.

_

* * *

_

Shuichi and Tiril were waiting in line for dinner. A group of werewolves were conversing in front of them. "-he's out of control. I say we avoid him at all costs." The brunette said, wringing her hands together nervously.

"The stench of blood marks his lair." Another snarled, seizing a few pieces of raw steak. Tiril looked at the dripping blood in disgust and turned away.

"I heard Horobosu can control zombies now. They come to him in swarms, whenever he wishes." A werewolf with shaggy, black hair told his companions.

Shuichi's eyes widened and he poked Tiril in the ribs. The Fallen Angel nodded stiffly and the both of them strained their ears, concentrating on what the werewolves had to say.

"Horobosu has been silent for centuries. What could have possibly brought him out of hiding? Not that he was hiding, of course, because he's not scared of anything. But I mean, he never bothered anyone and now all of a sudden, he's on the move. I always thought the desert was a safe place, but not anymore." The brunette shuddered to herself as she fixed herself a cup of water.

"Even my pups can sense the evil pouring out of there." The werewolf with the steaks snorted. "The cave with the head of a cobra."

**

* * *

**

_**(End Flashbacks)**_

_I really did grow a lot… in just one month._ Shuichi closed his eyes as a gust of wind brought some sand over his body. _And now, tomorrow… we'll be going to Horobosu's lair. I think I'm ready._ Of course, despite his mentally encouraging statements, he was still scared.

A low whimper caused Shuichi to sit up and turn around. It was Suzu in her puppy form. She trotted over to him and plopped down in his lap. He affectionately scratched her behind the ears.

"I know, I know. I need to go to bed." Shuichi stood up, holding Suzu to his chest. He stepped inside the barrier, where Tiril and Apollyon were already fast asleep. "I still can't believe… how much I've grown. I'm really strong, aren't I?"

Suzu let out a tiny yap, obviously agreeing with the half-demon. Shuichi laid down and closed his eyes, finally allowing his body to rest. Suzu whimpered a bit, tossed and turned until she found a comfortable position, and then closed her eyes.

_**

* * *

**_

Shuichi was sitting in a classroom, among a bunch of humans. They were noisily conversing, throwing paper airplanes, putting makeup on, etc. Shuichi felt like the only normal one, because he was the only one sitting put and not making noise. However, there was no teacher in sight.

Shuichi turned his head round and round, studying the classroom. It looked so normal, it was almost a photograph… it was too real and predictable to be real. The blackboard, the perfect rows of desks, the morning sun shining in the room through the windows, the uniforms everyone was wearing… Shuichi looked down at himself and to his surprise, he was wearing one, too.

A white, button down shirt with a single breast pocket; plain, black pants; and ordinary, black shoes. Shuichi stared at one of the students. Out of all the teens around him, this one wasn't talking either. He was just sitting still.

The boy had green hair, brown eyes, and an extremely bored expression on his face. He wore a uniform like the rest of them. But he was different.

Shuichi was drawn to his boy, but he didn't understand. The boy in question turned to him and his eyes narrowed. "What are you staring at?" The boy asked sharply. Shuichi jumped a mile in the air. Something about the boy's expression reminded Shuichi of someone… someone important. Someone he knew.

Shuichi opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment the classroom door opened. All of the students fell silent as a gray-haired man walked into the room. "Hello class." Shuichi rolled his eyes. The teacher had the most monotonous, drone, nasal voice the half-demon had ever heard.

The teacher placed his briefcase on his big, wooden desk. "I'm your substitute teacher for today. My name is… Larry MacFallan. You may address me as Larry if you wish. I believe that we are all equals." Larry started out.

"So class, what did you learn yesterday? I'd like to pick up where your teacher left off." Larry said, taking a few sheets of paper out of his briefcase.

"Shouldn't you take attendance first?" It was green-haired boy again. Shuichi noted that his tone was rather sarcastic. A couple students snickered.

"Oh yes… I might as well start with you. What is your name?" Larry turned to the outspoken boy. Shuichi watched eagerly as the boy opened his mouth.

"You cannot defeat the beast of the mind." Someone else said, causing Shuichi to whirl around. In an instant, the classroom was gone and Shuichi was alone, surrounded by darkness. Had it all been an illusion?

Shuichi stood perfectly still, too afraid to move. "You cannot defeat the beast of the mind." The voice repeated and Shuichi's eyes widened.

"You… you're the voice in my head! The woman whose voice I've been hearing!" Shuichi shouted out. "Where are you? I want to see you!"

"So you _can_ hear me…" The woman replied and the darkness around Shuichi vanished. Shuichi was now standing in a bright, green field. Once again, the area around him couldn't be real… it looked too perfect. As if someone had spent an eternity painting the perfect picture and then bringing it to life.

The field was decorated with weeds and flowers, birds chirped, and squirrels clambered up the nearby trees. It was all too picturesque. "What am I doing here?" Shuichi demanded, no longer afraid. He knew the voice.

"You are here because I have called you here." Shuichi looked up and finally saw the woman, the woman's voice who had been haunting his mind while he slept. She was utterly beautiful and she hovered above him like a wingless Angel.

She had long, wavy hair… and Shuichi couldn't decide whether her hair was gold or brown, because the too colors were so intertwined. She had black eyes, eyes that reminded her of someone… and delicate facial features that seemed so familiar. She was wearing a flowing, regal, white dress that reached her ankles.

"You cannot defeat the beast of the mind." The woman smiled sadly, her long hair flowing with the breeze. "You cannot defeat the beast of the mind, so long as you run away from it."

"What are you talking about?" Shuichi frowned. "I don't get it."

"As long as you continue to run, those around you will suffer." The woman continued on, her kind eyes fixed on Shuichi's face. "You cannot defeat the beast of the mind."

"I'm not running from anyone!" Shuichi shouted back. "I won't let anyone hurt my friends! I care about them!"

"You cannot defeat the beast of the mind, so long as you run away from it." The woman repeated firmly. She then looked up into the sky. "I was alone when the beast ravaged me. Now, I am nothing. Now, I have nothing. But you… you have heard my cries when no one else could. Embrace the punishment, for you have sinned. At that moment, I will be with you."

"W-what are you talking about?" Now Shuichi was scared. Was this woman going to punish him? No, she was full of despair, constantly lamenting her past. She wasn't going to hurt him. She was trying to warn him… but about what?

"Who was that boy? Why was he in my dream?" Shuichi decided to change the subject. Anything was better than talking about some beast that was after him.

"I cannot tell you, for you are to remember this dream." The woman responded simply.

"That doesn't make any sense…" Shuichi was completely lost.

"Do you know who I am?" The woman asked Shuichi calmly.

"No…" Shuichi stared hard at the woman. "What does that have to do-"

"I must take my leave." The woman lowered herself to the ground and hugged Shuichi tightly. "The fatal day… is approaching. His screams are nearing. Things are not going as they planned. Your power will grow immensely."

"Who are they? Who's the beast?" Shuichi mumbled again the soft fabric of her dress. "Please… tell me."

"You cannot defeat the beast of the mind, so long as you run away from it." The woman repeated once again. Her body rose in the air and gave off bright, white light. Shuichi stood there dumbly as the world began to disappear. "You cannot defeat the beast of the mind, so long as you run-" And all was dark.

_**

* * *

**_

Shuichi's eyes flashed open. And just as the woman had told him, he had remembered the dream. _Who was she? Why did she look so familiar? I don't get it… Well, I know she wasn't my Mother, because my Mom has pink hair. But she's someone's Mother… and I know her kids, because I recognized her face._

_Or maybe I just passed one of her kids on the streets of Kyoto one day. I mean… what are the chances? This is ridiculous._ Shuichi sat up and rubbed his eyes. Tiril was awake as well. He always awoke when the sky was painted with the colors of sunrise. Suzu and Apollyon were still asleep.

"I have a bad feeling about today." Tiril turned to Shuichi. "I guess it's because we're going after Horobosu, instead of him coming after us. But… we trained enough, didn't we? It's time to prove to him how strong we've become."

"Yeah… we'll show him not to mess with us!" Shuichi grinned at the boy encouragingly.

"Mess with you, Shuichi." Tiril corrected instantly, almost bitterly. "He's never laid a finger of the rest of us."

Shuichi opened his mouth and then closed it. _Was it right to drag his friends along? After all, Tiril was right. Then again, he was always right._ "What are you saying? I should face him on my own?" Shuichi gulped. "Look, I'm not asking you to face Horobosu. I'll fight him… I just-"

"Tiril's just being a little brat." Shuichi had no idea when Suzu woke up, but he was glad nonetheless. "We're your support system, Shu."

"We would never dream of allowing you to venture off by yourself." Apollyon rose up into a sitting position, shaking his brown locks.

"Ken-chan and Ma-kun had a bone to pick with you and did we abandon you then?" Suzu cocked an eyebrow. "The brat is just having jitters. He's too chicken to look Horobosu in the eye."

"But, he is right." Shuichi let out a sigh. "Look, if we find Horobosu, can I take him? Do you think I'm strong enough?"

"Honestly… I don't know." Suzu shrugged her shoulders. "You can swing at him if you like, but Pollyon and I won't hesitate to save you. Actually, why the hell not? He tried to turn you into a psychotic insomniac, take the bastard down!"

"It would be a true test of your powers." Apollyon crossed his arms over his chest. "The three of us will fight the zombies and you can concentrate on Horobosu. Fair enough?" The Angel of Hell turned towards Tiril as he said this.

"I just… I just have a bad feeling." Tiril mumbled.

"It's called pre-battle jitters. Get over it. Nothing bad is gonna happen to you." Suzu gave Tiril a noggie and then kissed him on the top of his green head. "After all, Horobosu wants to make Shuichi miserable… so what are _**you**_ worrying about?"

"Way to make me feel better." Shuichi glared at Suzu.

"Here's the plan. We have breakfast, because we can't win an epic battle on empty stomachs. Then from there, we walk to Horobosu's lair." Suzu grinned, showing off her fangs. "Pollyon, Tiril, and I handle the zombies. Shu, you lie low. Clone yourself and disappear among them. Let them do all the fighting. You'll need all your strength to fight Horobosu. The moment Horobosu appears, have all your clones run to him. Attack simultaneously. Give it all you've got.

"If Horobosu gets too close to defeating you, Pollyon and will jump in and save you. We'll hold him off, you summon your icy disk, and we get out of there. Got it?" Suzu finished seriously. "Tiril, if you think you can't handle the zombies while we're getting Shu-"

"Barrier." Tiril rolled his eyes. "I know, Suzu." He stuck his tongue out at her and the demon instinctively moved to punch him in the head, then stopped.

"You can't suffer any brain damage… we might actually need it today." Suzu murmured to herself, but everyone else still heard her. In fact, it was Tiril who had proclaimed the previous day during lunch that Horobosu's lair was ten miles west of the safe house they were currently in. So the group had decided to stay in the general area and take a break from training.

_And now… now it's time._ Shuichi took a deep breath.

* * *

Shuichi, Tiril, Apollyon, and Suzu stood in the darkness, the happily lit safe house a few hundred feet away. One part of Shuichi wanted to crawl back to the light and hide. But he knew he couldn't. 

Suzu walked the west first, confidently taking the lead. She did have the best sense of smell, so if there was any "stench of blood", she'd smell it first. Tiril flew over to the demon and perched himself on her left shoulder. Shuichi began walking next, fists clenched. He was a bit less nervous, now that his eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness. Apollyon took up the rear and the gang began their journey.

Shuichi gaped in awe as he was able to see around more. It was as if they were in an underground canyon. He could see the jagged rocks and the ridges and the rocky peaks above him. He knew he was still walking upon the sand. But it was odd that the entire canyon was underground. What else lurked about here?

"This place is creepy." Shuichi announced a few minutes later.

"Yeah… oddly enough, I don't think I've ever been out here." Suzu admitted. "Grandma always told me… 'They're called _safe houses_ for a reason.'" Tiril's body stiffened at that.

"Well of course it isn't going to be safe out here." Apollyon wasn't the least bit afraid. "Did you think Horobosu would choose to dwell in Candyland?" Shuichi chuckled at that, picturing Horobosu living in a delectable gingerbread house. Instead of zombies, he'd control giant gummy bears.

"I wish… then his evil minions would bombard us with Skittles." Tiril giggled. "And he'd try and smother us with cotton candy."

"Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Suzu snickered, licking her lips. "In that case, let's hurry on up! Let's take to the skies, men!"

"Huh?" Shuichi asked dumbly as Suzu summoned her fiery disk and hopped on it. Tiril jumped off Suzu and his beautiful wings burst out of his back. He flapped about Suzu, waiting for her to speak.

"Well did you honestly think we were going to walk all the way there?" Suzu rolled her eyes. "Come on people… ten miles?!? We need to get there ASAP."

"While courage still courses through our veins." Apollyon smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well… when you put it _that_ way…" Shuichi "assumed the position" instantly. He had repeated this action so many times he could do it in his sleep. His icy disk rose up from the sand and he sat down on it.

"Everyone ready?" Suzu demanded sharply. "This is it guys. Fly as fast as you possibly can without passing out from exertion."

"It's time." Shuichi took a deep breath. _I hope when she mentioned screams, she meant Horobosu's…_ He thought back to his odd dream. _It's been so long since I've actually remembered a dream. I wonder… if the one with her was so bizarre, what other kinds of dreams have I been having? I've forgotten them. I've forgotten them all..._

The group instantly took off, soaring through the darkness. Suzu grinned with pride as she saw how fast Shuichi was flying aboard his icy disk. _He's catching up. Slowly, but he's catching up. _The female thought to herself. _But I wonder who he'll summon? I mean, I haven't seen him summon any living creature. I wonder why? Am I missing something? Oh, who cares… Horobosu is what matters now. _

Ten minutes later, they reached Horobosu's lair. It was just as the werewolf has said. The cave before them was huge, shaped like a cobra's head. The eyes of the cobra shone red, ominously glaring down at them. The snake's head was wide open, showing off its venomous fangs. There was a slight gap in between some of the cobra's teeth; this was meant to be an entrance… for those who dared to enter.

Suzu leapt off her disk and it vanished. Tiril descended to the ground, as did Apollyon. Shuichi was the last to land, almost quivering in fear under the snake's gaze. "Let's go. There's no turning back." Apollyon put a hand on Shuichi's shoulder. "Do it." Shuichi instantly made fifteen copies of himself. Apollyon, Suzu, Tiril, Shuichi, and his clones all walked into the cobra's mouth.

After walking a few feet, the large group found themselves in a vast, oval-shaped room. It was lit by lanterns giving off eerie, blue light. The lanterns had been attached to the wall. The floor was smooth and covered in intricate, colorful designs. Besides the lanterns, the room was barren and it gave off a spooky aura.

"So… is this really it?" Tiril frowned. "Where is everyone?" His voice echoed off the walls. As if responding, all the lanterns began flashing in warning. The blue light became intense, almost blinding.

In an instant, the room was full of zombies. The stench was overwhelming. Suzu covered her nose in disgust. Shuichi noticed it too… every zombie smelled like blood. The forsaken creatures wore black, tattered robes. They had bright, green skin, and their visible skin was covered with sores and scars.

Their faces lacked noses, eyebrows, and eyelashes. The zombies had beady, orange eyes and shoulder-length, stringy, black hair. It looked as though the zombies had washed their hair in muck or oil, because it glistened unnaturally. They all had large mouths, dripping with murky saliva. They also bared some of the largest fangs Shuichi had ever seen.

"How many are there?" Suzu looked at Tiril. All the zombies began to dance around the group, swinging their gangly arms about. Their mouths hung open lazily and Apollyon watched in morbid fascination as long, hooked claws emitted from their crusty, grimy fingertips.

Tiril shut his eyes in concentration and opened them. "Five hundred and thirty zombies… and Horobosu will send another swarm after we've defeated them all." He smiled in relief, praising his ability and whoever bestowed it upon him.

"Five thirty… so that's approximately thirty for each of us, including Shu's copies." Suzu calculated rapidly. "You ready?" Without waiting for a reply, she flung herself forward, surrounding herself with zombies.

Shuichi and all this copies summoned icy disks and took off to different parts of the room, immersing themselves around the enemy. Apollyon flew back towards the entrance, where more zombies awaited him. Only Tiril stayed put, glaring daggers at the zombies as his eyes turned red and he grew fangs. In other words… it was on.

The zombies all attacked simultaneously, striking out at their foes with their long claws. Their awkward, but dangerous movements seemed oddly coordinated, as if they were all puppets being controlled. Either way, Shuichi thought he was in some kind of horror movie. This didn't stop him from spilling blue zombie blood.

All the Shuichis attacked differently, as to confuse Horobosu (if he was watching). One encased an entire group of zombies inside a gigantic ball of ice. Suzu caught sight of this and shot out a huge fireball that instantly destroyed the ice, thus killing the zombies inside. Another sprayed the zombies with acid that melted their ancient skin. Shuichi commanded a clone to summon his icy disk and bombard the zombies with blocks of ice. Shuichi himself trapped his zombies in a globe of water and simply drowned them to death. And so on and so forth.

Suzu was having a ball, lighting her opponents on fire, kicking and punching when needed, flying about and leaping. This was just a warm-up for her. Tiril held his own, blasting out energy blasts left and right, rapidly increasing his speed whenever the zombies threatened to overtake him, and bringing up his trusty barrier if his instincts told him to. It was a bit harder for him to fight against the zombies because of the height difference, but he wasn't going down.

Apollyon looked as bored as a child waiting in line for Kingda Ka. He worked swiftly, uncaringly, ignited the zombies around him, and only moved faster to dodge the blue blood that threatened to stain his clothing. In all honesty, he thought fighting the zombies was a complete waste of his time.

All five hundred and thirty zombies had been defeated in no time at all. All the Shuichis let out a synchronized whoop of joy. Suzu smirked, flying over to Tiril and slapping him a high-five. Apollyon didn't move, remembering that according to Tiril, Horobosu would be sending out another swarm of them.

Sure, they'd be able to take on the next army of zombies… but how many would Horobosu be willing to send? Was his purpose to tire all of them out and then appear? Was seeking Horobosu out such a good idea? Apollyon didn't know what Horobosu had planned and this worried him. Or… was Horobosu expecting them to come? Was he even at his lair? Were the appearing zombies just some sort of defense mechanism, triggered by the blue lanterns?

Apollyon frowned, stealing a look at the Shuichis. Even he didn't know which one was the real one, but he hoped that Shuichi wasn't using too much of his energy. Then again, he only made fifteen copies, which after all of Suzu's training, was a piece of cake. A few days ago, Shuichi had tried to fight Suzu with forty copies, but he had passed out and not woken up for hours. As a result, Suzu told him to only use thirty clones, thirty thus becoming his limit.

The next horde of zombies emerged into the room, which was now stained with blue blood. It coated the walls and the colorful floor. The smell of blood was even more potent than before and Suzu had to take a deep breath, lest she get dizzy. They began their grisly dance, but this time no claws came from their fingers.

_Curse my dog senses…_ The female growled to herself. _I hope I don't get one of my headaches…_ About ten days ago, Suzu had started to get staggeringly severe headaches. She had blamed it on the intense sunlight, but then Tiril had reminded her that her powers derived from fire and heat and so forth. So she had commanded Shuichi to conjure some liquid ibuprofen and that was that. Whenever she got a headache, Shuichi would give Suzu her "prescribed" medication.

"Ready?" All the Shuichis called out, glowering at the zombies. Something was different about these zombies. Tiril could tell from the moment he saw them. They moved differently from the group before it.

_No claws… so how are they going to attack?_ Apollyon narrowed his eyes. Suddenly, all the zombies ceased their dancing. They opened their mouths, revealing their appalling blue tongues and menacing fangs. Blue energy blasts began forming in front of their open mouths.

Suzu stiffened, quickly looking all over the room. _Five hundred and thirty energy blasts at once? This is not good._ The demon could dodge most of them, Tiril could increase his speed, and no one needed to worry about Apollyon, but if some of Shuichi's copies got destroyed, Horobosu would be one step closer to the real one.

Shuichi took a deep breath. _I can do this! We can all do this!_ He stole a look at his copies, all standing still, ready for his mental commands. Without warning, all the zombies released their blue energy blasts. Tiril let out a shriek, instantly put his barrier up (making it wide enough so that Apollyon was protected as well), and the barrier shattered all the energy blasts on impact.

Every Shuichi erected an ice barrier around himself. The energy blasts bounced off of the barriers and shot right back at the zombies, successfully killing them. Blue blood sprayed everywhere. Suzu's body became covered with flames and all the energy blasts aimed at her were burnt to nothing.

"Tiril, how many zombies left?" Apollyon asked Tiril, smirking slightly. The sixteen Shuichis had taken out half of the zombies. The huge room was practically empty again.

"Eighty-seven." Tiril answered right away, grinning at one of the Shuichis. Not that he knew if it was the real one. Actually, if he wanted to, he could just concentrate and then he'd know. However, he didn't want Horobosu to know. So he just picked one at random.

"Let's get rid of these guys. We can do it, easily." Suzu scampered over to one of the Shuichis and whispered a plan in his ear. After she was done, she took her place, standing in the middle of all the pink-haired teens. The zombies started to dance again, mouths open and ready.

Tiril retracted his barrier and scurried over to Suzu. Apollyon strolled over, wondering what Suzu's plan could be. Shuichi almost laughed out loud. This was going to be too easy for him. Was this the best Horobosu could do?

_I'm not scared of him anymore._ Shuichi inwardly beamed, keeping his face impassive. _And those nightmares he was supposed to send me? I guess it was all just a big bluff. He must've lost his touch after all these years. The old geezer…_

Out of the blue, all the zombies rapidly moved so that they circled their enemies. Suzu let out a loud, feral howl and Shuichi took that as his cue. Each clone concentrated on approximately five zombies (some had more, some had less) and the real Shuichi commanded them all to extract their blood.

As soon as the blood was extracted from a zombie, Suzu immediately lit the zombie on fire and it would explode into morsels and chunks. A sea of cloudy, mucky, blue hung over their heads after the two of them finished killing off the zombies. It took less than two minutes.

The clones and Shuichi all worked together to convert the blue blood into pure water and then transported the water to the floor, washing it clean.

"We came here to kill Horobosu and you're doing his chores?" Tiril's jaw playfully dropped open and he mock glared at Shuichi/Shuichi's clone. "This was _**not**_ in my contract." Suzu cracked up at that and hugged the Fallen Angel tightly.

"Love this kid!" Suzu planted a big kiss on the top of his head. Tiril squirmed around, his black wings fluttering about.

"Lemme go! Lemme go!" Tiril scowled, but he loved the attention all the same. The next mass of zombies materialized into the room, but these zombies were vastly different from the first two groups. Suzu's eyes widened and she dropped Tiril in shock. "Why do you _**always**_ do that??"

These zombies had gigantic, ugly, bat-like wings that beat heavily about, blowing wind everywhere. These zombies weren't scrawny like the previous ones; they were muscular, broader, and taller. Their black hair was longer and thicker. These zombies stood strong, stood still, and did not dance. They merely beat their wings simultaneously, glaring at Shuichi, Tiril, Suzu, and Apollyon.

As if to prove these buff zombies were stronger than their predecessors, one zombie soared forward, punched a Shuichi and then flew back into place, amongst the other zombies, in a matter of seconds. The clone flew several feet in the air, burst into molecules of water, and dripped onto the ground like soft rain.

Tiril's jaw dropped open. _Okay, we've met some difficulties here…_ The Fallen Angel gulped, looking at Suzu's back. _What now?_

_He destroyed one of my copies with a single punch?_ Shuichi mentally squeaked. _Okay… this isn't good. That was a solid punch he delivered… could probably break one of my bones with that fist. Why couldn't they all be ridiculously bad dancers and clumsy fighters? Why break out the special ops, Horobosu?_

"He's getting serious. Let's do this." Suzu narrowed her eyes. "Replace your copy." She demanded and another clone of Shuichi appeared at once. "Remember: this is what we've been training for."

"Did you really think we were going to Candyland?" Apollyon snorted sarcastically, looking down at Tiril. The boy's face was slightly pale and his breaths were becoming shorter and shorter. "Are there still five hundred and thirty of them?" _He better not chicken out now, not when we need him. _

"Same number… every time." Tiril responded, trying to calm his worried mind. Part of him wanted to soar out of the cave and never come back. His voice inside him was telling him that something was going to wrong. Something was going to go horribly wrong and Tiril didn't know what it was. This scared him.

"Then you're still expected to defeat your share." Apollyon said simply.

"Hey! Now is not the time to get rude." Suzu turned to Apollyon. "None of us could have predicted this. No one knows shit about zombies, they're too old and mysterious and only strong beings can control them- with the aid of a Type Zero I might add.

"So it's only reasonable enough to assume that because Horobosu was alive during the Zenith Wars, he knows more about these zombies than we ever will. That's why he can make them do all kinds of things, like grow claws or create energy blasts or take steroids.

"For all we know, Horobosu could make these zombies self destruct and kill us all. The point is… we just need to kill them before they can kill us." Suzu crossed her arms over her chest. Despite her twisted logic and reference to steroids, Suzu made sense.

"I think she meant to say that we'll just have to deal with whatever Horobosu sends us. And if the zombies are too strong for me, then I can use my barrier, but don't hide behind it." Tiril cocked his head to one side.

"Perfect." Suzu's purple eye flashed red and she growled at a zombie. A group of zombies flew over to her and she wasted no time, lashing out at her enemies. Tiril took a deep breath and soared up into the air, a swarm of zombies following him. Apollyon, like Suzu, stayed grounded, but did not move. As expected, the zombies came to him. The Shuichis took to the air with their icy disks. The zombies rose to meet the Shuichis and the battle began.

Shuichi decided to kill all the zombies in the same way. Each Shuichi constructed a gigantic, thick, pointed pole made of out ice and threw it at the zombies. About half the zombies were impaled on the ice poles. They plopped to the ground, twitched uncontrollably for a few seconds, and then laid still. The remaining zombies flied quickly towards the Shuichis.

Suzu had to move quickly, as to avoid the zombies' blows. She exploded zombies left and right and pummeled zombies back if they got too close. She quickly summoned her black and white bunny. The bunny zipped around all the zombies, igniting and exploding them in mere seconds.

Apollyon had no problem matching the zombies when it came to physical strength. He literally beat every zombie up and then simultaneously blasted them all with a gigantic fireball. His job was done. The Shuichis repeatedly threw ice poles until every zombie was writhing around on the floor.

It was only Tiril who was having trouble fighting off his bigger, bulkier enemies. Because of it, he sported a few bruises on his arms and legs. There was a nasty cut under his left eye. But Tiril had a lot of stamina and he planned on using it. He would constantly increase his speed, sending out multiple energy blasts at once. He would then hastily bring up his barrier, taking a quick break. Finally, Tiril would release his barrier, increase his speed, and shoot out more energy blasts at his previously electrocuted opponents.

Using his nifty method, Tiril had taken out half of his zombies. Regrettably, the zombies knew they were bigger than Tiril and finally decided to use this to their advantage. They surrounded the tiny boy, closing in on him. Tiril was covered in the stench of blood and the beating of mighty wings thundered in his ears.

Suzu's jaw dropped and she instantly soared down to the ground, trying to get to Tiril as fast as she could. The zombies began to thump their wings on Tiril, attempting to smack the life out of him and suffocate him, too. Tears rolled down his cheeks as Tiril's body was punched at and kicked at and stepped on.

Shuichi and his clones zipped over and bombarded the zombies with gigantic ice balls. Suzu's white and black bunny soared into the mass of zombies, lighting them on fire. Suzu and a Shuichi locked eyes and the implicit plan was born. She dove into mob of zombies, fighting her way to Tiril.

Suzu picked up Tiril's unconscious body and jumped up into the air. The Shuichis instantly converted the ice to gasoline and a huge explosion lit up the room, sending zombies parts and blue blood everywhere. Suzu's eyes narrowed as she studied Tiril and she inwardly cursed.

Suzu landed on the ground and manually set up Tiril's barrier by putting his brooch on the ground. The Shuichis and Apollyon surrounded it while she tended to Tiril. The room was silent, dead silent and finally devoid of zombies.

Tiril's body was bloody and battered. His wings had retracted because he had been knocked unconscious. Suzu snapped her fingers and her white bunny appeared. It attached itself to Tiril's chest. Suzu stood up and took a deep breath, willing herself not to cry. _Not here, not now. He's going to be okay._

"Aw… the poor baby…" A familiar voice crooned and the real Shuichi stiffened. It was Horobosu. He had finally shown his face. Horobosu was floating before them, a cruel smile planted on his face. Horobosu's beefy bodyguards were backing him up.

"Horobosu!" All the Shuichis shouted out. "This ends now!"

"Hn… come and get me, boy." Horobosu sneered down at the half-demons. The Shuichis all summoned their icy disks and soared up at Horobosu. Each one conjured up an ice pole and was prepared to strike. Horobosu didn't bat an eye; he had no reason to be afraid.

"Shuichi! Wait!" Suzu stole one look at Tiril. _The barrier will protect him, right? _She ran outside of the barrier. _Please, please, keep him safe._ At once, the zombies encircled their master, Horobosu, just as all the Shuichis flung their ice poles. Sixteen zombies were impaled and they fell to the floor.

Apollyon inwardly growled at Shuichi's rash behavior. _Now he's surrounded by zombies and we've got no idea when or where he's going to show up. He is a master of illusions… Who knows what kind of devious things he has planned?_ The Angel of Hell began to fear that things were taking a turn for the worst.

Suzu leapt into the air and grabbed the nearest Shuichi by the shoulders. "Are you crazy?!? Why are you rushing off into battle without us? You could've gotten killed!" The demon shouted in his face.

"We need to destroy the zombies before we can get to Horobosu." Apollyon stated reasonably. He wasn't going to lose his head, not when so much was at stake.

"But then he'll just summon some more." Suzu scowled, biting her lip. "This sucks." _What now? Ah, let's just beat the zombies up. He'll show up when he wants to._

"I can fight, too!" Shuichi, Apollyon, and Suzu whirled around. Tiril was standing on his feet, with Suzu's bunny still on his chest. His fists were clenched angrily and his orange eyes had never looked so intense.

_Just like his father…_ Apollyon smiled sadly at the boy. _Whenever Raphael gets that look on his face, it means he can't be stopped._ But Apollyon knew that Tiril wasn't as strong as Raphael.

"The minute you don't feel well, get your ass back in that barrier! Understood?" Suzu barked out, narrowing her purple eye.

"Yes ma'am!" Tiril mock saluted her and the white bunny detached itself from his body. The bunny sat down in the middle of the barrier and its ears twitched about.

_That's weird… Why won't it leave?_ Suzu had tried to mentally dismiss her summon, but it wouldn't listen for some reason. Back when she was a lot younger and weaker, her summons would occasionally disobey her, almost in a mischievous manner. But why wouldn't her faithful rabbit listen to her now?

The bunny's red eyes locked onto Suzu's face and they flashed rapidly three times. Suzu's eyes widened. _Okay, so it __**wants**__ to stay here. _The demon shrugged and turned back towards the zombies. And it's a good thing she did, because they were all headed straight at her and her friends.

Tiril leapt out of the barrier and his majestic wings emerged from his back. The Shuichis prepared their ice poles and Suzu's hands became inflamed. Apollyon crossed his arms over his chest and he merely glared at his ugly adversaries.

"There's more of them this time! Six hundred!" Tiril shouted out as he swiftly sent out energy blasts. _I have to work harder! I have to destroy my share!_ The Shuichis ceased impaling their enemies and began to freeze chunks of them at a time, knowing that Suzu or Apollyon would destroy them by fire.

"Oh, well that's just lovely." Suzu snorted as she encased twenty zombies in a giant fireball. Apollyon rapidly flew around in a circle, creating a huge tornado. He released fireballs as fast as he could and the twisting tornado helped accelerate the fireballs. It was as if the zombies were being barraged with mini meteors coming out from a tornado.

The real Shuichi finally caught sight of Horobosu. He was still immobile, looking out at the battle before him as if he was a sick spectator. _That bastard!_ Shuichi growled and commanded seven of his copies to accompany him as he soared towards his enemy on his icy disk.

Horobosu had been hiding in the entrance to the room, a few hundred feet away from Tiril's barrier. The Shuichis circled him from the air and hurled ice poles at him. Horobosu deftly dodged them all, that vindictive smile still pasted onto his pale face. The group then began to dispense giant ice balls at Horobosu and he evaded that attack as well.

Tiril's mind began tingling and his brain told him: _Shuichi is fighting Horobosu. _He wasn't worried about Shuichi; the teen was strong and even if something went wrong, Suzu and Apollyon would jump in and help him.

_But that means I'll have to hold off the zombies for a short while. I need to be at full strength if that happens. They need me!_ Tiril inwardly beamed and the thought of being depended on mentally strengthened him. One of his energy blasts tossed a zombie high into the air, where it was frozen by a Shuichi and blasted by Suzu.

Suzu caught sight of the Shuichis fighting Horobosu and smiled. _Good. I hope he had enough sense to stay here and fight the zombies. If Horobosu can tell which one is the real one, we're in trouble. _She wanted to summon her black bunny, but her white one refused to leave. _It would make killing off these zombies easier…_

Apollyon took a wild guess when he saw the Shuichis relentlessly attacking Horobosu. _He's in there all right… acting rash again. And judging by the way he's avoiding all of Shuichi's attacks, it's only a matter of time before Horobosu decides to strike back. We need to finish these guys off ASAP._

_I need a break!_ Tiril's body screamed at him and he quickly zipped back inside his barrier, where the bunny instantly reattached itself onto him. _What's up with Suzu's bunny? _Somehow, he knew that Suzu wasn't doing this. She was too busy fighting. So why was it acting on its own?

"Are you worried about me?" Tiril softly stroked the bunny's soft, white fur. "Thanks for healing my injuries, but I really have to go back to fighting. My friends need me." But the bunny still didn't move. _Jeez… crazy rabbit._

"Hello, Tiril." A voice said from behind Tiril and the boy whirled around in shock. Horobosu stood before him. Tiril knew what had happened before his mind had even told him: the Horobosu Shuichi was fighting was a fake and the real one was right in front of him. His mouth opened in a silent scream; he could make no noise. "I have waited for the opportune moment to strike. The time is now."

Tiril slowly backed away. He forgot how to fly, he forgot how to scream; he couldn't do anything. _How did he even get inside?!? If he can sneak in so easily now, what stopped him from doing it before?_ The Fallen Angel began shaking in fear.

"This is my home, my realm. I govern the laws here. I can go wherever I wish, whenever I wish." Horobosu coolly stalked towards Tiril. "Oh? I was not aware of Suzu's summon exhibiting clairvoyant abilities." He chuckled, his dark eyes fixated on the white bunny. "No matter, that beast cannot save you."

Horobosu picked Tiril up by his tiny neck, suspending the boy in the air. Tiril's legs began to kick about. Tears burst forth from his eyes as he looked all around him. Suzu, Apollyon, and the eight Shuichis were too far away. They probably couldn't even see Horobosu. But the Shuichis behind him could help!

Horobosu used his free hand to rip the white bunny off of Tiril and throw it on the floor. Tiril watched in sorrow as its red eyes gazed at him. Then the bunny disappeared instantly.

_I know what I have to do. Shuichi will save me. I know he thinks he's fighting Horobosu right now, but as soon as he turns around, he'll see._ Tiril's stomach churned as he opened his mouth and screamed out: "SHUICHI! SHUICHI!!!"

The real Shuichi froze, but didn't turn around. _He said he wanted to fight! He can take those zombies on his own. And if not, he should be inside that barrier. Can't he see I'm fighting Horobosu? This might be my only chance! _So Shuichi ignored Tiril's screams and continued on, fighting alongside his copies against "Horobosu". _I have to defeat Horobosu! Me! _But even as Shuichi commanded his clones to spray jets of acid at Horobosu, there was still a nagging feeling at the back of his skull.

Suzu had also heard Tiril's distressed scream from across the room. She instantly leapt up higher in the air and turned around. Her mouth formed in a silent circle as she soared as fast as she could towards Tiril and Horobosu, a trail of zombies following her.

Horobosu knew he had to execute his plan before the girl arrived. Her punishment would come later. Now was not the time for her suffering. Using his free hand, he seized the feathers of Tiril's right wing. In one smooth movement, Horobosu tore Tiril's wing off and stuffed it into his mouth, consuming half the Fallen Angel's powers.

Blood spurted out of Tiril's back and he let out a wild, uncontrollable shriek. The pain was so unimaginable; it threatened to overtake his consciousness and steal his sanity. His entire body was on fire, his head was pounding relentlessly, his heart threatened to burst out of his chest, and it was almost impossible for him to breathe- but that didn't stop him from screaming. Tiril shrieked again and again, but the pain didn't go away. If anything, it worsened every second.

The room froze and the battle ceased as Tiril's multiple screams echoed throughout the room. Flashes of white began to blind everyone for an instant and Tiril's body wretched itself free from Horobosu's grasp.

Suzu was rendered immobile by Horobosu's unforgivable act. Apollyon was speechless; Tiril had been Horobosu's target all along. Shuichi's jaw dropped open and quickly turned his head back. The Horobosu he had been fighting was gone now. _Oh no…_ Shuichi was in shock. _How could… TIRIL!!!_

Tiril's unconscious body lied limply in the air and everyone watched in disbelief as a gigantic phantom rose out of the boy's body. It was as if the phantom was merely a projection or a hologram, it stopped ascending out of Tiril's body as soon as its waist was revealed. The phantom let out a ghostly howl, its golden eyes fixated on Horobosu's face.

The phantom was wearing a black robe with four mysterious symbols on the back of it: a white Ankh in the middle; a golden circumpunct to the right; a left-facing, red Lauburu to the right; and lastly, a blue and purple Ouroboros directly under the Ankh. The robe fastened in front with four silver buttons that went down his chest vertically.

Suzu realized that the phantom was actually an older version of Tiril. The spirit had shaggy, green hair and almost the same facial features, but infuriated, golden eyes. The phantom roared again and wind swept through the room.

Horobosu's eyes widened as his body was suspended in the air by the wind itself. The wind circled around his body, preventing him from moving a finger. He couldn't even breathe. _The apple doesn't fall far from the tree…_ Was the last thing Horobosu thought before the oxygen deprivation took his consciousness.

Tiril's phantom howled again. Gigantic tornadoes tore throughout the entire room, exterminating every zombie, ripping up the floor and the walls. Rocks crumbled and fell; Horobosu's lair was being destroyed. All of Shuichi's copies were swept away by tornadoes and disposed of.

Suzu, Shuichi, and Apollyon managed to reach the amazingly, unscathed barrier through all the destruction the ghost was causing. They couldn't hear their own voices over the wind and the falling debris. _Is this… the end?_ Shuichi thought fearfully as he saw Horobosu's body get taken up by a stray twister. _How long can this barrier take? We can't possibly fly through all of this, we'll get killed!_

Without warning, Suzu soared outside of the barrier, without even summoning her fiery disk. "Get back here!! SUZU!!!!" Shuichi screamed out, somehow knowing that Suzu would be able to hear him. Apollyon put a hand on his shoulder and sternly shook his head.

_What am I supposed to do? Just stand here? _Shuichi's face filled with tears. His inner voice cruelly reminded him: _"You had your chance to save him."_

Suzu dodged all the rocks and pieces of the tiled floor and tried to let the wind carry her if it was in her favor. Either way, she would make it to Tiril's body. She didn't care if the phantom demolished the entire desert, but it was _**NOT**_ taking Tiril's body along for the ride.

A golden, flat circle appeared high in the air and it opened up. A flash of white light revealed Raphael, in all his angelic glory. The Archangel's white cloak swirled about him majestically. His eyes were fixed one thing: his target. He had a bow in his hand; the string going as far back as it could go. The golden arrow, embedded with his energy, was whirring with anticipation.

Shuichi's jaw dropped open as he saw the mighty Archangel point the arrow at his target: him. _He's going to shoot me!!!!_ _I guess I deserve it… it's my fault Tiril lost his wing. _The half-demon closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate. _I failed him._

"_Any being who would dare touch my Tiril's wings-be it demon, Angel, or human- will face my wrath!"_ Raphael remembered his words, his oath from hundreds of years ago and willed his tears away. He let go of the arrow and it soared towards Shuichi with the speed of light, striking the boy in the chest.

Shuichi's body became covered with white light. Suzu flew as fast as she could and snatched Tiril's body, holding him to her chest. The phantom fizzled and vanished instantly, taking the grand tornadoes with it. Raphael forced himself not to look at Tiril. He flew back inside the golden circle and it disappeared promptly.

Shuichi looked down at himself in shock. He wasn't in pain at all. In fact, he felt strong, incredibly strong. But he had been given a task to do. Shuichi looked down at the sword in his hands. It was devastatingly familiar to him.

The sword had been magnificently crafted with the finest metals. The hilt was made of silver and a blue stone had been embedded on either side. The blade was thin, silver, and sleek. It was a bit short; about half the length of his arm. The middle of the blade was covered in ancient, red hieroglyphics.

Shuichi's attire had been changed, too. He was wearing a black cloak with the collar turned up, as to hide his neck. A mysterious, silver key hung from his neck, resting against the short, pink shirt he was wearing. The pink shirt was a tiny strip of clothing, beginning below his neck and stopping above his belly button. A yellow stripe outlined the pink shirt. He was wearing simple, but tight, black pants with a chain that hung from the waistband to the left corner of his left pocket. Lastly, he now had comfortable, black boots on his feet that rose up to his ankles.

However, the most amazing addition to Shuichi was his wings. Beautiful, but delicately, thin wings were now on Shuichi's back. They didn't arch vertically, like some wings, but horizontally. They were white in origin, but evenly streaked with black.

Shuichi gripped the sword in his hands and instantly flew over to Horobosu, who was beginning to awaken. Horobosu's eyes widened when he saw the fierce expression on Shuichi's face. He barely had time to dodge Shuichi's unyielding attacks. The half-demon slashed and slashed at Horobosu, drawing blood and ripping the demon's clothing. However, he had yet to deliver a fatal blow.

Suzu and Apollyon were both in shock. But Suzu recovered first, as Tiril was still losing blood. She summoned her fiery disk and laid Tiril on it. _I guess he really is part of the family now. _The female smirked wryly. Red, demonic energy rapidly spun around her body and when it vanished, Suzu's clothes had changed as well.

Suzu was now wearing a turquoise kimono made from a very fine, silk material. The kimono was cut just above the knee, revealing an expanse of the tan skin of her smooth legs. The sash and obi were black and silver, matching the colors of the dragon that was drawn across the kimono. She had glossy, black, platform sandals on. Her fingernails and toenails had been painted black.

Suzu's transformation didn't bother Shuichi in the least; he was still hacking and slicing at Horobosu. Unfortunately for Shuichi, even with his wings, the demon was still faster than him. _The similarity between their powers…_ Horobosu was no fool. He knew of Kizura's legendary summoning techniques, when her powers reached such infinite levels that her clothing would change, too.

_The boy did the same thing._ Horobosu frowned, knowing that he would have to stop the boy's attacks. _Raphael took that boy's will and made it his own._

Suzu's eye turned red and her white rabbit appeared. However, her summon had changed drastically. It was now transparent and big enough to cover Tiril's entire body, which it did. The white bunny hopped over to Tiril's unconscious body (which was still lying on Suzu's fiery disk) and seated itself on the fiery disk, encasing Tiril's body. The blood immediately stopped pouring out of the Fallen Angel's body and his body began glowing white.

_Am I the only one here who is __**slightly**__ bothered by all this?_ Apollyon tugged on his brown hair. _I think I'm getting a migraine…_

"Well, he'll survive now. I realize now what my bunny was doing. It wanted to make sure Tiril was in peak, physical condition before Horobosu attacked." Suzu let out a deep breath, turning to Apollyon and smiling slightly. "I think it actually saved his life. However, Tiril probably won't wake up for a while."

"The boy endured quite a trauma." Apollyon verbalized slowly, still not sure of what was going on. "What about Shuichi?" Suzu looked up and her jaw dropped. The half-demon was still trying to behead Horobosu.

"Yes, please call off your half-demon." Horobosu sneered down at Suzu. "I'm starting to get agitated. I never expected Raphael to go this far-" The demon's eyes widened in shock as blood spurted out from his right shoulder. Shuichi, never ceasing in his enraged attacks, had cut off Horobosu's arm.

"Uh-oh, he's pissed now." Suzu zipped up to Shuichi and punched the boy in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious. Shuichi's clothes returned to normal and the sword in his hands vanished. The boy's wings were gone, too. _Hn… interesting._ The girl wove her hand and the size of her fiery disk expanded.

Suzu, holding Shuichi, began flying up, towards the exit. Luckily, the phantom's tornadoes had completely destroyed Horobosu's lair and all the canyons around it. Another one had even opened a hole, revealing the sandy world above. Horobosu roared and flew after her.

Apollyon snatched the brooch off the ground and leapt onto the fiery disk. It took off instantly, heading towards the exit as well.

"I will have my revenge." Horobosu stopped chasing Suzu. He was being irrational, running after the girl like some brazen fool. "Your time will come, girl."

Suzu turned her head around to glare at Horobosu. "You will all suffer under my hands. You will have the craven one to thank for that." The demon smiled then, embracing all the pain he was feeling. He hadn't felt pain in a long time. No one had marred his skin for millennia. _I will break him… in time._

Suzu, in response, gave him the finger, and continued to fly on. She caught up with her fiery disk and dove on. The disk shot through the open hole and entered the desert. She placed Shuichi's body behind her; the boy was now lying alongside Tiril. Suzu breathlessly turned to Apollyon, who looked just as exhausted. "Never again." They said simultaneously.

"I think this is the first time we've ever agreed with each other." Apollyon smiled, shaking his head. The fiery disk soared on through the sky, racing past the beginning of the sunset.

"Imagine… it took a tornado storm, Shuichi growing wings, and Tiril losing one to get us to finally get along." Suzu laughed then, tears finally bursting from her eyes. "Aw, man, Apollyon… what are we gonna do now?" She covered her face with her hands and Apollyon held her close. He didn't know. He just didn't know.

* * *

**If I made any mistakes, kindly correct me. The following chapter is all about our friends who aren't currently residing in Hell: Yuki, Reiko, Ryuichi, Saki, Tatsuha, Crimson, etc. If you liked it, please review! I love hearing what you guys think!**


	43. Chapter 32

**Hi everyone! I know, I haven't updated in months and I'm really sorry. Let's just say they weren't kidding when they said college was a lot of work. I hope everyone's enjoying the holiday season! Happy New Year!!! If you find any mistakes, please let me know! **

**Oh tru, I don't own Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven". I use a portion of it in this chapter.

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_**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:**_

_**SPIES, BRUISES, AND TEA PARTIES?

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**_

It was a beautiful day for a picnic. At least, that was what Reiko had told Crimson. After listening to Reiko beg him and plead with him for ten minutes, Crimson had finally agreed to go. Taziel hadn't been too happy about Crimson s**h**irking his training, but the vain being enjoyed pissing the Angel off.

So Crimson had taken his "family" out of Lord Sakuya's manor and into the deep forests of the Demon Realm. The trio was currently residing near a sparkling blue lake. The weather was delightfully calm in Bohemia.

Crimson was lying down on the grass lazily. He was bored out of his mind. Not that he minded having his own body. He did miss Shuichi, missed talking to the pink-haired idiot, missed advising and protecting the baka, but Shuichi _did_ need to learn to take care of himself.

Saki was sitting across from Reiko. The two of them were eating food out of a wooden basket. "This is boring as hell. Can we leave now?" Crimson rolled his eyes. "I could be training right now."

"No!" Reiko b**a**rked out, narrowing her red eyes. "Saki likes it here. Don't you, dearest?"

"Yea, I do. It's peaceful." Saki smiled with pleasure as the breeze flowed through her purple locks. "I'm tired of training anyways. All we do is fight, Crimson. Haven't you ever heard of taking a break?"

Crimson, in response, stood up and turned around. "This is a complete waste of my time. I'm leaving." The Angel of Vanity began striding off into the woods.

"Crimson." Crimson froze at the sad tone apparent in Reiko's voice. He reluctantly turned around. "Please stay." Crimson let out a long sigh, returned back to his spot, and plopped down on the ground.

"Sucker." Saki smirked, chuckling at the furious look on Crimson's face. Reiko almost burst out laughing as Crimson flexed his long nails. But she decided to be honest with Crimson.

"I wanted to have a picnic today… because I woke up this morning and the depression threatened to take over me." Reiko admitted, ignoring the shocked look on Crimson's face. "Even as we were eating our sandwiches, I thought to myself: If I had done this with my son, would he still be the same way? Would he still be a kidnapper? Would Michael be here with us right now?

"I just lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. My body was still asleep, but my mind was busy. I hardly ever spent time with my own son. I am a horrible mother. It is my fault he turned out this way." The half-phoenix, half-vampire smiled sadly to herself. "He does not have very pleasant memories of me. I… I abused him. I never admitted this to myself. I abused my only child.

"Then, I began to doubt the lo**v**e between us, Crimson. Because… well, obviously, you're beautiful, absolutely stunning and I'm just… pretty. You're valiant and I'm a coward. You don't allow the past to consume you. The darkness that threatens to take my soul does not even disturb you.

"I felt like I was choking, like the very air I was breathing was contaminating my essence. I felt like I didn't deserve you, that this was all some kind of cruel illusion. Because after all the horrid things I've done, how can I possibly deserve love? Before I met Seki I used to bite humans just for the thrill. I abused my Manchu, my only little boy. Why would you even trust me with Saki? I'm not naturally maternal like Seki was. I'm just not.

"And then, I thought to myself… I want Saki to be happy. The way her father treated her parallels the way I treated Manchu. I know, I am not your mother and Crimson is not your father.

"I just wanted us to be happy together. I want us to have happy memories. I want to begin anew. I realized then that everyone deserves happiness, even me." Reiko finished, looking at both Crimson and Saki. Crimson was literally spe**e**chless.

"Reiko…" Saki almost burst into tears. The redhead stood up and went over to Reiko, holding her as tightly as he could. Crimson knew he couldn't verbally express what he was feeling right now, so he just held her.

"Alright, fine. Let's make some memories." Crimson inwardly sighed. _When did I become so nice?_ "Why don't we walk around Bohemia and see the sights? I don't think we've done that before."

"Judy used to take…" Saki broke off, shaking her head. "I'll be the tour guide, because I actually know where stuff is. We're going to the candy shop first. And… I don't have any money, so you'd better get some, Crimson."

"What makes you think I have any, you idiot?" Crimson snapped out.

"I happen to be very rich. I do believe there's a ba**n**k amongst the shops." Reiko grinned at their shocked faces, her fangs gleaming in the sunlight. "My father _is_ Nuri, in case you've forgotten."

"Well, in that case…" Saki chuckled greedily. _Hell yea, shopping spree!_

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Colin stood nervously in the hallway, beads of sweat trickling down his face. Being a spy wasn't easy; it was quite stressful. At least he was still alive. The vamp thought that Prince Yuki was going to have him killed. Then again, some days Colin wished that the demon would just execute him. This was one of those days. 

"Let's go." Colin nearly jumped out of his dead skin when Yuki grabbed him by the arm and began tugging him down the hallway. "Well? How is he?" Colin tore his arm out of Yuki's grasp anxiously. The two walked down to the end of the hall, where they faced each other expectantly.

"I… well something's happened, I'm not sure what. As y**o**u know, they used to show up, together at the safe houses three times a day. But now, well, I don't know. For a couple of days, I didn't see any of them and I almost freaked. But then one morning Shuichi came on time, grabbed a whole bunch of food and left. None of them came for lunch or dinner. Then another day, Apollyon shows up two hours before they usually come for dinner, grabs heaps of food and leaves. I've seen Suzu a number of times, but usually Shuichi or Apollyon come by.

"I don't see the little boy anymore. He doesn't come to eat. He's the only one I haven't seen. And another thing… their faces. They don't look happy at all. Especially Shuichi." Colin finished, gulping. Yuki scowled darkly. He hated that he couldn't be there to protect Shuichi. He hated those fucking angels that kept him away from the one being he loved most. And what had happened to Tiril? What happened to the little boy? He heard news that Raphael had been imprisoned for teleporting to Hell without consent. That Archangel was on thin ice. But hopefully he had succeeded in protecting the **F**allen Angel. _I hope he doesn't get himself killed… we need at least ONE ally up there._

"Did you notice anything else?" Yuki crossed his arms over his chest.

"Umm… well, not really. I can't observe any of them because they only take food and leave. They used to all sit down, eat as a group, and talk loudly." Colin fidgeted about. "I could always overhear them. But now, they're acting so cautious."

"The next time they're all back at the safe house, I want a full report." Yuki frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Do not come back until this occurs."

"Yes." Colin nodded his head eagerly. _Thank J_**e**_hova I won't have to see him for a couple days. Or however long they plan on staying in hiding. Hopefully for a very, very long time. If only I could teleport on my own… but Prince Tatsuha brings me to and from Hell. Man, then I could finally bring my minions back here and terrorize some virgins… _

"You're dismissed." Yuki wove his hand. "My brother is waiting for you downstairs." Colin took off as fast as he could. _Blundering idiot… but then again, that's how he managed to spy on Shuichi for so long. He was never noticed or suspected. He blends in perfectly because he's underestimated. _

The blonde let out a long sigh. It seemed as though the Angels had thrust Shuichi straight into an impossible test. It was so irresponsible; they should've tested him on their own turf. The Angels weren't doing anything about Horobosu. Did the demon even know that his brother was alive? Or did they not keep their side of the bargain? How was Shuichi supposed to fight Horobosu? And although Suzu was there with him, obviously that hadn't prevented Tiril from getting hurt.

"Fuck that…" Yuki scowled to himself. It was time for him to take matters into his own hands. "I'm going to find R**a**mechi myself." The blonde prince stalked down the hallway, heading back to his study. It was going to take a lot of cunning and a lot of luck to pull this one off. He was going to need some help…

* * *

Tatsuha's back was slammed against the wall. His legs were wound tightly around Ryuichi's waist and his hands were tangled in his lover's hair. Ryuichi was kissing him so feverishly, so passionately that he almost couldn't take it. Tatsuha playfully bit Ryuichi's lip and the latter growled into his mouth. His black eyes were glazed over with pleasure and they widened as Ryuichi cupped his- 

"Er-hem…" Colin coughed loudly, causing the two men to freeze. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but-" Ryuichi's eyes flashed red and a fireball shot out at the vampire. "NYA!!!!!!!!! OK, OK, I'll wait for him outside!!!" He proceeded to dash out of the manor, only to run back in seconds later. "THE SUN, THE SUN… it buuuuurns…"

"Ok, he just officially ruined the mood." Tatsuha shook his head and disentangled himself from his Romeo. Who was very pissed off. "Sorry, I have to bring him back." He kissed the angry male on the cheek and smiled apologetically.

"I fucking hate your brother." **R**yuichi turned on his heel and vanished into thin air. Tatsuha smacked himself on the forehead, making a mental note to talk to his brother about a little concept called: "inconvenience".

"Colin, let's go…" Tatsuha rolled his eyes and grabbed onto the spy, who looked scared out of his mind. _Bringing him back and forth is so annoying…_

"I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight…" Colin took a deep breath. "You live demons are so unstable…" Tatsuha narrowed his eyes at Colin. "In a good way, of course… I mean, I would never say anything bad about-"

"Whatever…" Tatsuha closed his eyes and attempted to calm his mind. "Do me a favor and shut it." _I'm definitely not getting laid tonight… I blame Colin._ If Ryuichi was in a bad mood, he liked to withhold sex, which sucked immensely. _Why should I be punished for my brother's stupidity? Oh cruel world… _

"Don't take your sexual frustrations out on me!" Colin squealed, breaking free of Tatsuha's hold. "I'm not gay, back off!!!"

"… You've got to be fucking kidding me." Tatsuha let out a long sigh. "I've got bad karma coming out of my ass today…"

"Yeah well nothing else is going in there so you might as well face it and get on with your life." Colin uttered before he could stop himself. _Oh shit I'm dead…_

"And whose fault is that?" Tatsuha grinned sadistically. _Ima kill dat fool._

"My humblest apologies my sweet Prince I think I have jet lag. Too much teleporting, you know. I think I've gone soft in the head." Colin began to back away when he saw the vindictive look in the male's eyes.

"You can't get jet lag from teleporting. Do you think you're human now?" Tatsuha chuckled to himself, cracking his knuckles eagerly. Yes, beating the shit out of the mole was going to be loads of fun. Colin let out a loud screech and ran away. "Haha, you fool. You will face the wrath of Tatsuha!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And after his enraged battle cry, Tatsuha raced after his prey.

* * *

The dark, damp cell was full of tension. Tohma could feel it and he held the sleeping Noriko closer to him. He wanted no part of what was going on in the next cell. The blonde tenderly ran his fingers through Noriko's hair. _She gave up living in luxury to stay with me in prison. What would I do without this woman?_ He gently kissed the top of her head and sighed. With her, he knew perfection. 

A couple minutes ago, Judge Ukai himself had teleported into the d**u**ngeons and strolled over to Hiro and Ayaka's cell. The stern demon had passed by Tohma's cell and narrowed his eyes angrily at the two of them. Tohma had glared right back at the old buffoon. The judge couldn't do anything about them being together if Lord Lucifer had authorized it.

The fact that Noriko chose Tohma over Ukai made him gleam with pride. He could imagine the scandalous rumors spreading around about the three of them and he knew it must have infuriated the judge, which served that fool right. Clearly he didn't value his wife or his child or he would've opposed Lord Lucifer's consent and kept Sa**k**i with him. He was going down for all the hurt he put his family through.

Tohma strained to hear what they were talking about. "You are lucky that someone confessed." Judge Ukai stated disdainfully, disgust apparent in his tone.

"I can't believe someone would do that… but why?" He heard Ayaka ask.

"You are both free to go." Judge Ukai declared and the bars holding them captive instantly fell to the floor. The bars clanged and cluttered for a while and the noise woke Noriko up.

"Huh… wuz going on?" Noriko cocked her head to one side, rubbing her eyes. Tohma gently shushed her. The woman's eyes widened as she heard her husband's voice:

"The tea party is tomorrow. Make sure you're there." Judge Ukai instructed seriously. "Do not bring him."

"It's tomorrow?!?" Ayaka shrieked out loud. "I have nothing to wear… where's Reiko? Does she know?"

"That is none of my concern." Judge Ukai answered. "I will take my leave." A few seconds later, Tohma could feel Judge Ukai's presence vanish. The demon had teleported away. He felt Noriko let out a breath she had been holding in.

"Oh Hiro, I'm so happy!! We're free!" Ayaka squealed happily.

"I am too. I'm going to request a meeting with Prince Yuki to talk about your engagement." Noriko could practically hear the smile in Hiro's voice. "But what is this tea party? Why does Reiko need to know about it?"

"Oh… that. Every year, our father, Nuri holds a tea party in his lair. All of his daughters must attend. One guest is allowed to accompany each woman. It's some ridiculous tradition that's been going on for centuries." Ayaka let out a sigh. "And the worst part is, every year it's a different day. One year I was told that it was on Halloween and I had to drop all my plans to go to that stupid party." Tohma raised his eyes. An annual tea party given by Nuri himself?

"What's the point of it?" Hiro inquired curiously.

"It's his way of keeping track of most of his family. If someone doesn't show that means she's either dead or she has a death wish. Ages ago one of my half-sisters made the mistake of missing the party one year. The next morning, Father actually appeared in front of humans and set an entire forest on fire. She missed the tea party to go on a camping trip with her mortal boyfriend and now both of them are dead. Along with a bunch of other humans who made the mistake of camping that fatal day. It's a hindrance, but some of the women really enjoy seeing each other once a year. You can imagine all the talk that goes on there. It's kind of like a globally political, societal family reunion. If you want to find out what's going in the Demon Realm, this tea party is the key." Ayaka finished quietly.

"Is Nuri actually present? Does he interact with his daughters?" Hiro questioned the brunette further. Tohma was all ears now. He had never heard of such a gathering before. This party had to have been kept secret for ages. Then again, this one day of the year, Nuri was completely vulnerable. Each year, planning for the event must have been full of security, secrecy, and meticulousness.

"Of course, if anyone has any grievances, tomorrow is the day to voice them. Some of these women only see Nuri once a year. There's a lot of nagging and screaming going on at some points." Ayaka scowled. "I'll bet he'll call Reiko or me first because we're the ones who have sparked up the most controversy in the past year. The other women haven't done anything nearly as infamous."

"I can't imagine a daughter only seeing her father once a year." Hiro's voice sounded sad and small. "It must've been hard-"

"He's is no father, he's a procreator. All he cares about is making sure our clan survives." Ayaka spat out angrily. She took a few deep, heavy breaths and continued on. "While the party is going on, he speaks to each and every woman."

"How long does the party last?" Hiro demanded. "You could be gone for weeks! I can't… I can't be apart from you for that long."

"Oh, it's some kind of Type Zero, I don't know. Time in his lair is slower than time outside. One year the tea party lasted four days, but when we were all released only ten hours had passed in the outside world. I _do_ know that we're never gone for more than twenty-four hours." Ayaka replied calmly.

"So for four whole days you sat in his lair and drank tea? Did you sleep at all?" Hiro just couldn't stop asking questions. The idea of the magical party fascinated him.

"No, the spell must have some kind of effect on us, because none of us have ever gotten tired or sick. It's a scary feeling actually… the spell keeps us in the room at all times." Ayaka groaned. "I'm not looking forward to it. Can we just drop it?"

"Well… if you can't bring me, then who-" Hiro began.

"I'm not bringing anyone. Bringing guests is optional." Ayaka cut in sharply. "Now can we please get out of here? I'm ready to leave. We've been stuck in this damned cell for long enough."

"Sure, of course." Noriko could hear Hiro standing up. "Teleport?"

"Yes, please. Take us back to your room." Ayaka ordered coolly. Tohma surprised himself by disentangling himself from Noriko and standing up.

"Lady Ayaka." Tohma walked forward as far as he could without touching the bars that held him in the cell. The fiery brunette stalked towards his cell.

"What do you want?" Ayaka sniffed indignantly. "I'm not breaking you out. I'm a pregnant woman, I'm in a horrid mood, and I want to leave this place."

"If you're using your baby as an excuse to be a bitch that just shows what kind of mother you're going to be." Tohma had no idea when Noriko had gotten up, but he was grateful for her verbal support. She stood beside him, strong and poised. Hiro appeared and he put an arm around Ayaka's shoulders.

Ayaka glared daggers at Noriko, who glowered right back. "I believe Tohma asked you a question. It would be rude not to answer." Noriko narrowed her eyes at the female demon.

"Fine." Ayaka finally turned to Tohma, obviously holding back her temper.

"Why were you acquitted?" The blonde demon asked curiously.

"Someone cast a Type Zero on me to make me pregnant." Ayaka confessed quietly. "Judge Ukai wouldn't tell us who."

"How is that possible? Then who's the father?" Noriko's eyes widened.

"…Whoever cast the spell on me." Ayaka mumbled, looking at the floor.

"That doesn't matter. We'll raise the child as our own." Hiro said firmly, squeezing Ayaka's shoulders. "Ayaka answered your question. I'd like to take her away now." The redhead looked like he wanted to say something to Tohma, but he held it back.

"Good luck to you both." Noriko smiled brightly. "I'm sure you'll be an excellent father."

"Thanks." Hiro grinned back at the woman. _I don't know how you put up with him… but I hope you make him a better demon. Heal his heart so that he'll never do anything that vindictive again. _And in the blink of an eye, Hiro and Ayaka were gone.

"Tohma, what is going on?" Noriko turned to Tohma instantly. "Someone magically impregnated her? Who would do such a thing? And why wouldn't Tetsuya tell her who the father is? She has a right to know!"

"I don't know, Noriko…" Tohma frowned thoughtfully. "I need to sit down and think for a while."

"Oh… you're boring when you're thinking… and much too serious." Noriko smirked mischievously. "Let's have sex. Then you can think all you want and I won't bother you."

"N-Noriko!" Tohma protested as the woman literally pounced on him, bringing them both to the floor. She began her assault, nipping and licking and sucking his neck. He couldn't help it; he moaned and wrapped his arms around her. _Fuck thinking; this is much better. _The blonde growled and slid his hands up her shirt. Yes, with Noriko, he knew perfection.

* * *

Michael sat on the floor obediently. Every once in a while, instead of relentlessly kicking his ass, Manchu would bring the boy to the library and let him read books. Mich**a**el loved reading. He would lose himself in the world, the world where rules were on pages and he could see its characters in his mind's eye. For a short while, Michael wasn't a monster, he wasn't a prisoner… he was a boy, a boy who thoroughly enjoyed reading. Then of course, after he finished the book he would look up at the walls that encased him and sigh. 

_This is foolish. You need to be stronger. You're still weak. You haven't reached your full potential yet._ Michael ignored the demonic voice in his head. He could hear Manchu playing the piano and the beautiful melody soothed him. The boy was shocked the first time he heard the older demon playing the instrument (and with such talent, too) but he loved hearing Manchu play.

Michael closed the book he had just finished reading: City of Bones. He liked it. Humans sure were interesting creatures and their perceptions of demons and the supernatural were intriguing. A sad smile crossed over his face, a while ago, he could have considered himself human. But now… he was no longer of that kind.

Michael stood up and unfurled his sole, black wing. He crouched and jumped up into the air, rapidly flapping his wing to keep him in the air. "Now… what did I want to read next? Was it Oedipus… or Macbeth?" The blonde began flying around the large library, cocking his head sideways to read the various titles of the books before him.

"You've read enough Shakespeare." Michael scowled and whirled around to look down at Manchu. The dark-haired demon stood below him with a sm**i**rk on his face. "It's time for you to become acquainted with a brilliant, but dark man, Edgar Allan Poe." Manchu held a few books in his arms.

Michael eagerly flew down to meet his master. It wasn't often Manchu told him to read. _He must be a really good writer if he's telling me to read his work._ The boy grinned.

"Enjoy." Manchu dropped the books into Michael's waiting hands. The synthetic half-demon held the books to his chest excitedly and instantly plopped down on the ground. He quickly opened the first book, which was quite thin. He saw the poetry and began to read it out loud, loving the shadowy diction, the words that were rolling off his tongue:

**"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,  
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,  
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,  
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.  
'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door -  
Only this, and nothing more.'**

**"Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,  
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.  
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow  
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -  
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -  
Nameless here for evermore.**

**"And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain  
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;  
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating  
'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -  
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -  
This it is, and nothing more,'**

**"Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,  
'Sir,' said I, 'or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;  
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,  
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,  
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -  
Darkness there, and nothing more."**

Manchu stood behind a bookcase, listening to the boy read out loud with a ghostly smile upon his face. He turned around and walked away, Michael's calm voice echoing in his ears, Poe's words trailing further and further away. He would leave the boy alone for the rest of day. As he walked through the corridors of his residence, he found himself thinking of his mother, yet again. If she had taken the time to care for him, would he be here right now?

* * *

The hallway was empty, accept one being. Reiko stood in front of the mirror that hung off the wall, nervously fixing her silver locks. Her red eyes were filled with apprehension. She sighed yet again. "Hey, Reiko, are you ready yet?" Saki bounded over to the female enthusiastically. "I'm ready! Let's go, let's go!" 

"You know we can't leave until Ayaka comes to get us." Reiko smiled sadly. She was not looking forward to this tea party. Saki narrowed her eyes Reiko and inwardly sighed.

"I know you don't like your family, but you're going with me! I'm your guest. And we'll have fun, we'll stuff our faces with pastries and gobble down lil cupcakes and guzzle tea like its gin!" Saki grinned and quickly hugged her.

"Gin, who said gin?" Crimson appeared out of nowhere, a lazy smile on his face. He wrapped an arm around Reiko's waist and kissed her quickly.

"Crimson, you can**'**t leave in the middle of training!" Taziel teleported into the area, holding his scythe high in the air. His golden orbs were tinted with annoyance.

"I came to see my beautiful ladies off. Got a problem with that?" Crimson snarled at the Angel. "Why don't you go buy a gay romance novel and read it?"

"Crimson!" Saki smacked his arm, holding back her giggles. "Be nice to the Angel of Death!" Taziel sighed and leaned against the wall. Once again, he had lost this battle. Crimson still refused to respect him.

"I'm sick of him!" Crimson let go of Reiko and threw his hands in the air. "You two _better_ be back in twenty-four hours." Reiko smiled, but didn't say anything.

"Why, you can't last that long without us?" Saki teased the redhead playfully.

"Ok, scratch that. Leave the brat with Nuri. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll mistake her for a chicken and light her on fire." Crimson whacked Saki in the back of the head.

"Hey! Jerk!" Saki stuck her tongue out at Crimson, who reached out with claws to grab it. He froze in place as Reiko threw herself at him, sobbing uncontrollably. He quickly enclosed the troubled woman in his arms, rubbing her back.

"I… I don't want to go…" Reiko sniffled, holding onto Crimson tightly. Tears fell freely from her eyes, dripping onto Crimson's neck and clothing. "Please, Crimson, I don't…" Saki's face fell as she finally realized how upset Reiko actually was. Even Taziel had a look of sympathy upon his face.

"Sister, it is time to depart." Reiko jumped at the sound of Ayaka's voice, but she did not move from Crimson's arms. Saki turned around to face the fiery brunette. Ayaka was standing a few feet away from them, with her arms crossed over her chest. A look of contempt was upon her face.

Crimson scowled, his blue eyes flashing red for a nanosecond. "Give her some time." He tightened his hold around Reiko. "She'll go when she's ready."

"Our Father waits for no one." Ayaka retorted indignantly. "Reiko, we're leaving now." The silver-haired woman shuddered slightly in Crimson's arms and forced herself to stop crying. She had to be strong. She could do this.

"I'm coming, too!" Saki angrily reminded the demon. "And stop being so mean! I'll bet _you_ don't want to go either!"

"It doesn't matter whether I want to go or not. The tea party is beginning soon and we must go… unless you want Father Dearest to rain fire upon Bohemia." Ayaka responded coldly.

"He will not lay a talon upon her." Taziel spoke up, his mysterious words causing Crimson's eyes to widen.

"What are you talking about? What makes her any more special than the rest of us?" Ayaka snapped at the Angel furiously.

"She is the mother of Manchu, the wife of Sakuya, the guardian of Ukai's daughter, the step-mother of Shuichi, and the lover of Crim**s**on. You can't get any more special than that." Taziel snorted, fixing Ayaka with his golden glare. "She has rather powerful allies, wouldn't you say?"

Crimson gazed at Taziel suspiciously. After training with the Angel for so long, he had begun to pick up certain things about him. "What else is there?" The redhead demanded. "What _else_ makes Reiko special?"

Taziel looked at Crimson, hidden surprise in his eyes. None but Crimson saw it. "Nothing… unless she has some more allies that I do not know of."

"You Angels know everything. So if she _had_ any more allies, you _would_ know." Crimson quickly let go of Reiko and stalked towards Taziel heatedly. "I'm going to find out what you're keeping from me, Taziel. And if this secret threatens Reiko in any way… I _will_ kill you." _Why would Nuri spare Reiko? It doesn't make any sense…_

"Don't you think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself, Crimson?" Saki rolled her eyes. "You're just paranoid and riled up because Reiko's upset and it's bothering you. Calm down. And plus, he defended Reiko."

"I think Saki is right, Crimson." Reiko stepped forward and put a hand on Crimson's shoulder. "I'm okay now, I feel much better."

"Can we go now?" Ayaka sighed loudly. "We're already late."

"Yes… I am ready." Reiko nodded her head. She wiped the remnants of her tears from her cheeks. Her eyes were a bit puffy, but in all honesty, she didn't care. "Let's get this over with."

"We'll be back soon!" Saki ran to Crimson and squeezed him tightly, which startled the male. He laid a claw in her purple hair and rustled it affectionately. "Hey, don't mess up my hair!"

"It was already messed up. Don't you know how to use a comb?" Crimson rolled his eyes. "Take care of her, okay?"

"I will!" Saki solemnly promised, nodding her head. Reiko smiled wistfully at her Angel, the Angel of Vanity. Saki took her place next to Ayaka and the brunette began preparing herself to teleport them.

"I love you." Reiko ran back to Crimson one last time and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, too." Crimson kissed the top of her head and reluctantly let her go. Reiko slowly walked back to Ayaka. The three woman simultaneously held hands and Ayaka teleported them out of the hallway. The moment their presences vanished, the redhead turned to where Taziel was. "I'm going to find out."

"I'm sorry, Naytievanol. You will not." Taziel replied forlornly. That confirmed his suspicions. Taziel knew something about Reiko that he didn't.

"Is Manchu after her? Is that it?" Crimson dashed over to Taziel and grabbed him by the front of his cloak, slamming the Angel against the wall. "Tell me."

"If I told you of the future, do you know what would happen? I would be killed right here in front of you and your memory of this event would be erased." Taziel uttered calmly. "Believe me, if I could tell you, I would. But if you were to find out on your own what makes Reiko special, they cannot touch you. If you accomplish something once, you can do it again, no matter how many times they take it from you."

Crimson let Taziel go, but not before giving him one last shove. "This is so fucking stupid!" He punched the wall next to Taziel furiously, falling to the ground. "Reiko doesn't even know. You can tell me that, can't you? Reiko has no idea that there's something special about her."

"Why do you think Nuri rewarded Shuichi for stopping Reiko from committing suicide? Do you think he would do that for any of his daughters?" Taziel asked Crimson enigmatically. The redhead's eyes widened considerably, as he thought back to Reiko's suicide attempt. Nuri had even healed all of Shuichi's wounds that day. "I will leave you to your thoughts." And with that, the Angel of Death disappeared.

_So… whatever purpose she's serving, she has to be alive to do it._ Crimson breathed a sigh of relief. _They need her alive. That's good._ He continued thinking, trying to solve the enigma that was Reiko.

* * *

Ayaka, Reiko, and Saki were standing in the middle of a dark tunnel. "The tea party can't be happening here." Saki scowled. She couldn't see that well in the dark. She _was_ half-human. 

"This tunnel is actually a rift between dimensions. It leads directly into the banquet room, where the party is taking place." Saki could hear the clicking of Ayaka's heels slapping against what sounded like pavement. Saki clutched Reiko's hand and pulled her along after the brunette. The three of them continued on, walking through the darkness.

"Reiko, you can see, right?" Saki whispered. "Is Ayaka really leading us to-"

"I _can_ hear you, you know." Ayaka interrupted curtly.

"Stop worrying about me and start worrying about your baby." Saki retorted sharply. She really didn't like this Ayaka. Honestly, what did Lord Nakano see in her?

"Saki, can't you feel it? His presence… Father is near." Reiko stated quietly. She could feel it, his overbearing aura, threatening to overtake her and swallow her up. Saki seemed to only sense Reiko's fear. Then again, Saki herself was a bit unnerved by the never-ending darkness. She felt as if someone was watching her and it spooked her.

"It's ok, Reiko. Hey why don't you talk about something else?" Saki deliberated over a few possible topics. She knew that talking about other things and temporarily forgetting about bad things usually made her feel better. "What about your mother?"

Ayaka stopped walking, whirling around rapidly. Reiko began coughing loudly, letting go of Saki's hand. "Oh crap… I'm so bad at this. I'm sorry, Reiko, I didn't mean to upset you." Saki wanted to smack herself in the head. _Of course, there's a REASON why she doesn't speak about her. I'm such an idiot…_

"You didn't know." Reiko took a deep breath. _Of all things to ask about, why Mother?_ That just brought up more unpleasant memories. "She's dead… she's been dead for a long time. She tried to kill me when I was a child and in retaliation, Father killed her." She left out some details; Saki did not need to know what drove her to insanity.

"What? Why would she do that?" Saki asked before she could stop herself.

"Are you trying to bring on another suicide attempt?" Ayaka hissed at Saki, who almost screamed. "Enough of your questions!"

"She kept saying she was saving me from _them_. She never told me who they were. But before she died, she told me this: 'Beware the snow.' I never did understand what she meant by that. I've been out in the snow numerous times and never been harmed." Reiko shrugged and took hold of Saki's hand once again. "But they were a dying vampire's words, not to be taken seriously."

Saki had the sneaking suspicion that Crimson was right about Reiko. _Maybe… just maybe Reiko's Mom knew something._ But she hid her true feelings and began babbling on and on about their earlier excursion through Bohemia. The females began walking on through the darkness once again.

_I didn't realize she had such a hard life… I've got some problems, but at least my Mom loves me. Crimson, Shuichi, and I __are__ her family. And we have to take care of her!_ Saki made a promise to the darkness. _I swear to protect and love Reiko until the day she dies. Wait a minute… can she even die? So, I'll protect and love her until the end of time! Wait a minute, that mean's she'll probably outlive me. And that'll make her sad. So I'll find a way to achieve immortality. Then I'll protect and love Reiko until the end of time… or until they change the meaning of immortality and we both die. But we'll be happy. Yes, we'll be happy. _

"Reiko, are you immortal?" Saki burst out uncontrollably.

"My soul is, but my body is not." Reiko answered, raising an eyebrow.

_Crap… that doesn't make any sense… but she heals really well, so she's almost practically completely immortal._ Saki bit her lip in concentration. _I'll just ask Taziel later._

"We're here." Ayaka spoke up, breaking Saki's thoughts. Saki saw a little, golden knob floating in the air a few feet away from them.

"What's that?" Saki pointed at the knob. Reiko ignored her, took hold of the knob and turned it as if it was a doorknob. _But… there's no door here._ All the darkness instantly changed into light and Saki hurriedly covered her eyes. When the girl opened her eyes she was shocked.

Saki, Reiko, and Ayaka were standing right in the middle of the hugest room Saki had ever been in. She looked up in awe and found that the ceiling stretched up as high as the heavens. There were numerous, huge chandeliers suspended in the air by magic, keeping the entire room lit. A bunch of waiters (zombies wearing stylish tuxedos) waltzed around the room, carrying various desserts around on silver platters or hot tea in kettles. There was classical music playing the background, which completed the elegant ambiance.

The banquet room was bustling with females. No woman or girl looked the same. But they were all related… they all had the same Father. There must have been hundreds of females. Women sitting down, women standing, girls running, women talking, women drinking tea, girls eating pastries… Saki had _never_ seen so many females together in one place. Actually, she had never seen so many different kinds of beings in one place. It became clear that when Nuri chose a mate, diversity was a factor.

A myriad of white tables and chairs were spread out all over the room. Each table was covered with a white tablecloth and every table had six, white chairs; knives and forks and spoons and dainty, white napkins had been put on the tables in front of each chair. A kettle of tea surrounded by little, exquisite teacups and an assortment of desserts had been placed in the middle of each table.

"I never want to leave…" Saki found herself saying out loud, her eyes gleaming with excitement. A zombie offered her a chocolate-covered strawberry and she took three.

"I know the feeling." Ayaka snorted sarcastically. "Believe me, next year you'll be annoyed by the compulsion. It gets old… fast." Saki stuffed on in her mouth.

"I'm coming again next year?" Saki shouted breathlessly, gripping her treats.

"Of course you are!" Reiko turned to Saki and smiled. "That is, if you want to."

"Of course I want to! This is awesome!" Saki pumped a fist in the air.

"That's the Type Zero talking." Ayaka rolled her eyes, but she smiled all the same.

"Let's find our table, shall we?" Reiko laughed out loud as Saki practically pounced onto another waiter, taking two miniature German chocolate cakes.

"Do you think they have ice cream cake here? I want some!" Saki jumped up and down happily. _This place is so cool! I want to try each and every dessert. And then… I'll start over! I want more, more, more! I'll stay here forever if I have to! _

"Saki, calm down." Reiko shook her head, placing an arm around the girl's shoulders. Ayaka pulled a zombie over and asked where they were supposed to sit. The zombie led them to a nearby empty table.

Another zombie strolled over, holding a beautifully crafted plate. But Saki's eyes widened upon seeing the large piece of ice cream cake on top of it. "Thank you so much!!" Saki snatched the plate, sat in one of the chairs, and began gobbling down her cake.

Ayaka shook her head and took her seat calmly. "Control yourself. You're not starving." The brunette whispered, stealing furtive looks at the females around. For the most part, Nuri's other daughters didn't bother Ayaka or Reiko. Sure they got some stares, but that was about it.

"Let her be. Don't you remember your first tea party?" Reiko smiled gratefully at a zombie who poured her some green tea.

"How can you remember it? If it's every year, then you've been going since you were born." Saki managed to say in between bites.

"Yes, it is an annual tea party, but it lasts for days. A baby cannot last for days without supervision. Plus there's no telling what kind of effect a Type Zero such as this could have on a developing baby. Thus, there is an age limit. No newborn, infant, or toddler can enter this realm." Ayaka explained to the half-demon.

"Oh… okay." Saki shrugged. "Can I have some… mochi ice cream please?" The girl shouted to no one in particular. A zombie instantly appeared, holding a tray with various types of mochi ice cream in tiny bowls. She wasted no time taking strawberry and vanilla and chocolate. "Ummm… I hope this takes days. I don't think I can go back home now… do they have brownies here too? Can I have some brownies???"

"And I thought Shuichi had a big appetite." Reiko shook her head as a zombie presented Saki with a cart filled with all kinds of brownies.

"Oh, sweet Nirvana…" Was the last thing Saki said before she dug in.

* * *

Luckily, Ayaka, Saki, and Reiko were not the only ones to arrive late. Many other females arrived after them. Oddly enough, although Ayaka recognized some of her sisters, she actually stayed seated next to Reiko the whole time. Some of her sisters approached them and then the fake conversations would begin. Soon enough, things would get awkward for either Reiko or Ayaka and the sister would leave. And the process would begin again. Reiko was bored out of her mind, but she was glad Nuri hadn't appeared yet. 

Saki, on the other hand, was having the time of her life. After befriending a little girl who was half-wood nymph and half-phoenix, Saki was off playing tag with her. And of course, if either of them used up too much energy, they had an endless supply sweets waiting for them. Saki was constantly on a sugar rush, laughing and shouting and running around, a perpetual smile upon her face. It was quite possibly the most fun she had ever had in her life and she would never forget this day.

"Oh crap…" Saki's new friend, Laura stopped running around, causing Saki to stop, too. "Father's coming, I have to go back to my table now."

"Aw… ok." Saki frowned. "We'll play later right?"

"Duh, of course we will!" Laura waved at Saki and dashed off. Saki looked around, but she didn't see Nuri anywhere. She did see that the females began behaving differently. A whole bunch of tension was filling the banquet room, making the occasion seem more like a funeral than a tea party. Everyone began taking her seat and the zombies seemed to rush around even more, frantic to meet every female's needs.

Saki gulped and darted back to her table, where Reiko and Ayaka were waiting for her. "It's about time, girl." Ayaka gestured to the child. "Hurry and sit down, he's almost here." So sooner did Saki's bottom touch the seat did a grand screech ring throughout the banquet room. Everyone froze in place. No one spoke.

Saki stared at the teacup in front of her, refusing to move. She was scared as heck; despite the fact that her Fat**h**er and Nuri were good friends, what was to stop Nuri from killing her now that she was residing with Crimson and Reiko? _Oh wait… duh, Reiko's his daughter. So I'm good, I'm safe._ A golden feather that was streaked with black fluttered down to the table. It lay there calmly and soon… other feathers joined it. Saki gulped slowly and did what every other female was doing: she looked up.

_Well… at least now I know why the ceiling stretches up so high…_ Saki reasoned sarcastically. _I didn't realize he was __THAT__ big._ Yes, Nuri, ruler of the phoenixes was hovering high above them, slowly beating his magnificently long wings, and raining his dazzling feathers down upon them. Although his feathers were on fire, by the time they drifted down the tables and the floor, the red flames had vanished.

Nuri's large, golden body took up half the space between the ceiling and the floor. His fierce red eyes went from table to table, making sure every female was present. His eyes widened a bit upon seeing Saki (who almost passed out from the extra attention) but he quickly returned to his inspection. The phoenix's long tail swished from side to side and with each movement, silvery, glistening specks descended to the floor.

Saki continued to stare up at Nuri in awe, as did every other female. She noticed through her peripheral vision that no zombie dared raise its head. They all stared fixatedly at the floor.

"Now then… shall we begin?" Nuri asked coolly, his voice carrying throughout the entire room. His entire body glowed white, shrinking and descending at the same time. By the time Nuri's body reached the ground, he was no bigger than the average human male. After the light left his body, Nuri stood calmly in the middle of the room.

_Nuri has a __HUMAN__ form????_ Saki's green eyes widened at this. In all the stories she had heard about Nuri, she had never heard of something like this. _Well… this explains why he has so many children. _Saki found herself staring at a rather attractive male.

Nuri was no longer a gigantic bird, he was a man… a man with long, gold**e**n hair that reached his waist and shimmering, gold eyes. His hair was streaked with red and black. He wore a blue jacket with golden swirls all over it, plain, dark blue pants, white gloves, and shiny, black shoes. Two golden hoops even hung from each of his ears.

"Bring me Helena." Nuri snapped his fingers and two red chairs appeared. He sat down in one and patiently waited. Saki stared at Nuri until she saw a zombie escorting a teenager with spiky, white hair. Helena sat down in the other chair and began conversing with her Father. As soon as they started talking, relief flooded over the room and things returned to normal. The zombies continued hurrying around, the girls began playing, and the women resumed their gossip.

Reiko looked at Saki, giving the girl a reassuring grin. "You can go and find your friend." The half-vamp motioned a zombie over. "Yes, I'll have the Linzer Torte please. With some oolong tea… do you have Rou Gui?"

"Ummm… well, I don't know when she'll be called." Saki stole a nervous look at Nu**r**i. Seeing him in human form was weird. He didn't look nearly as scary, but he was still intimidating. "I mean, does he want us to sit the whole time? Because I have no problem sitting here for five days… I'm good." _Not that I know how long it's going to take._

"Believe me… you've got all the time in the world. Go on." Ayaka ran her fingers through her brown tresses. "Ooh, oolong tea? Can I have Alishan? I haven't had that in ages! Saki, go on and find your friend; us ladies need to have a chit-chat."

Saki scrunched up her nose at Ayaka, but hopped off her seat all the same. "Adara! Adara, come!" Saki froze in place at the sound of Nuri's thunderous, echoing voice. She ran away from the table as fast as she could, looking high and low for Laura. She could feel Nuri's other daught**e**rs staring at her, but she didn't care.

Saki finally found Laura a few minutes later. The girl was hiding underneath an empty table, consuming a large portion of something that was in a bowl. "What are you doing under here?" Saki scrambled about to reach her friend. They sat together beneath the table for a few minutes in complete silence. "Laura, are you okay?"

Laura, in response, shoved some pudding down her throat. As Saki stared at the girl in confusion, she realized that Laura's eyes were identical to her Father's phoenix eyes: bright red with flecks of gold. Saki tried another tactic: "What exactly is that?"

"Riskrem… it's a type of rice pudding." Laura answered softly, brushing her dark purple bangs out of her eyes. "Saki, I'm scared. I'm afraid Father won't grant my request… and then I'll be miserable."

"What's your request?" Saki cocked her head to one side. Laura gave Saki her bowl and the half-demon wasted no time trying the delicious pudding.

"Well, Mother and the other wood nymphs are moving to a rainforest in the Human Realm, but I can't go there. I'm half-phoenix so all that overexposure to water would eventually kill me. And I can't use magic to shield myself there, the humans will see. But I don't want to live by myself either. So I'm going to ask him for help. I don't know what to do. I really don't." Laura sighed and tugged on her long, auburn hair.

"Hmmm… well first off, this pudding is awesome. Second, it's not like you're asking him to kill humans in like... Kansas. You're just asking for advice. What's wrong with that? And if he doesn't help you, then you can come back with me to Bohemia. There are lots of trees there." Saki put a finger on her chin. "Although, I'm not really sure how this whole nymph thing works. Cuz you're fine now and you're not by any trees."

"Once I find a tree, I can bond with it. I become one with the tree and immerse myself into it. Any tree is a source of energy for me. Oh and I can't sleep unless I'm in a tree." Laura explained, taking the spoon from the empty bowl and licking it. "But I have to be careful which tree I pick. That's why I'm scared of going to the Human Realm… they cut trees down there!!"

"Yeah, I know." Saki smiled sadly. "But now you don't need to worry. Like I said, if your Father doesn't help, you'll have a whole bunch of trees to pick from in Bohemia. And maybe we can even train together!! That'll be cool!"

"Yeah, it would. Actually, why don't I just ask Father if I can move to Bohemia? I heard it's really safe there." Laura leaned in close to the half-demon. "Don't tell anyone, but one of the wood nymphs said that there's… an Angel in Bohemia. It doesn't get any safer than that."

"Wow really, cool! It'd be great if you could move to Bohemia." Saki gushed excitedly. "How old are you?"

"If I was human, I'd be eight." Laura shrugged. "I tend to forget so every once in a while I just ask Mother to give me the human equivalent. It's much simpler. They age so much faster than we do! And most of them don't live to one-hundred. Can you imagine?"

"Umm… well I'm six… in actual human years." Saki mumbled.

"Really?!?" Laura's jaw dropped open. "I thought you were much older. You're but an infant No, no… a fetus!"

"I'm not a fetus!" Saki didn't even _know_ what a fetus was, but it couldn't be anything good. She saw the playful look in Laura's golden eyes and scowled.

"You're right… more like a mini-zygote. If such a thing exists, that's what you are compared to me." Laura giggled loudly. "Now then, my little tot, I shall introduce you to strawberry-kiwi shortcakes. Can we have some strawberry-kiwi shortcakes?" Right away, a zombie knelt down to face the two girls. It was holding two plates, each with its own fork.

"Oh, yes, thank you!" Saki took the two plates from the zombie. The zombie stood back up and walked off wordlessly. "And the reason why I don't look my age is because I'm a half-demon."

"You're a what?" Laura almost choked on her cake.

Saki froze. _Oh no… I forgot… some of them think we're abominations._ She blushed and kept on eating her cake, refusing to say anything. _Is she going to hate me now?_

"Wow… I've never met a half-demon before. That explains it." Laura continued thoughtfully. "That also means you're not my sister because Father doesn't mate with humans. Whose guest are you, little tot?"

"I came with Reiko." Saki answered carefully.

"Interesting… I've heard rumors about her, too." Laura narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You live in Bohemia, right? And you came here with Reiko… so that means that you know Lord Sakuya, which means you probably know the One."

"Shuichi? Yeah, I know him." Saki grinned, thinking about the pink-haired teen.

"In that case, Saki, you're no ordinary half-demon." Laura declared proudly. "You've got some strong allies. I wouldn't be surprised if you outlived me, despite the fact that you're half-human."

The half-demon's eyes widened. _Taziel said the same thing about Reiko... I guess we're both special then._ "I can understand if you don't want to live near me." Saki let out a sigh. "I roll with a pretty dangerous crowd."

"You know what I've always wondered?" Laura smiled dreamily. "That Angel you probably know, does he smell good? I've always wondered if Angels smell good."

"I don't know! I've never sniffed him." Saki gave Laura a weird look.

"And he's probably beautiful, too. And if he's living with a bunch of demons, he can't be all that bad." Laura giggled, completely ignoring Saki.

"Don't even go there… he's completely smitten with Crimson." Saki rolled her eyes. "And besides, you're probably a mini-zygote compared to him."

"Crimson? I know I've heard that name before but I just can't remember. You'd be surprised how much gossip the wind carries these days." Laura winked mischievously. And the two new friends continued conversing in their own little world underneath the white table, oblivious to the fact that Nuri had already called Laura's name three times and had casually moved onto his other daughters.

**

* * *

**

**And that's it for now. Review please! Tell me what you thought of it. (And if you'd like any of your favorite desserts to be included in Chapter 33, just let me know.) The title for the next chapter is among the bolded letters and punctuation marks in this one. Lol I didn't just randomly decide to bold the letter "h". **

**In Chapter 33 sadly, many things will perish: zombies, daughters, and a once treasured friendship. The idea for this chapter was inspired by the song Empty Walls, but more importantly the line: "I loved you yesterday before you killed my family". **

**(Oh yes and if you've read a certain Intermission, then you'll already know what's so "special" about Reiko.) Chapter 33 will be up ASAP!!!!**


	44. Chapter 33: Have no fear, Ukai's Here!

**Hey everyone! I'm really sorry, I haven't updated in the longest time. But summer's here and I've got motivation. So let's give a loud round of applause to my sources of inspiration for this chapter. Firstly, the idea came to me while I was listening to the song Empty Walls by Serj Tankian. So I had the idea in my head, but every time I tried to sit down and type, nothing would come to me. I just couldn't type anything. And that upset me. **

**Then about two weeks ago, I was reading New Moon, the second book in the Twilight series. And after I finished it, I was like, it's time to write. My third source of inspiration is the anime I just recently became obsessed with, Code Geass. It's intense and beautiful and inspirational. My fourth source is YOU. To everyone that reads my story, reviews it, adds it to their alert and/or favorites list... you guys are the best! Thanks so much! So, enjoy!! And I'll try and update more regularly! If there are any mistakes, please let me know.**

* * *

_**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE:**_

_**HAVE NO FEAR, UKAI'S HERE!**_

* * *

"_The eternal rivalry shall be born… Two friends, once close as siblings, shall break all ties of intimacy and these bonds shall be forever forsaken. On this day, one will walk the path of darkness and the other, the path of light. They were holding each other back, but now, they shall follow their own destinies… and their paths will never intertwine again. An epic story such as theirs is unforgettable. Up until now, their lives have been in an introductory state, but now, the body of their story, the first true chapters of their lives shall begin today… _

"_Some things cannot be undone. Sometimes an apology is not sufficient. Actions taken, decisions made, beliefs followed… all of our acts have consequences, both good and bad, depending on our initial intentions and the effects our actions have on ourselves and others. But what if our destinies have been prewritten and we cannot help but take certain actions? What if a boy was destined to break away from his family, his normalcy, his lifestyle, his childhood and become a monster? What if a girl was destined to gain a family, have her life completely turned upside down, and become a heroine? Can we control our own destinies? Do we shape them… or do they shape us? The saga of the Beast and the Bolt shall commence today… are you ready?"_

Shuichi's eyes shot open and he gasped. The numerous stars twinkled down at him. _What was that?! That was the woman again…_ The woman hadn't plagued his dreams since she warned him about Horobosu and Tiril. Shuichi had plenty of time to think about what she had said since Tiril was still recovering. But he still had no idea who she was and why she was so familiar.

"Who's the bolt… and who's the beast?" Shuichi bit his bottom lip in concentration. If Tiril was talking to him, then the half-demon would ask and the Fallen would most likely have the answer. But since Tiril refused to talk to Shuichi, the teen had no choice but to roll over and fall back asleep, thoughts of an anonymous beast bolting about trailing through his mind…

* * *

Yuki was smart. There was no doubt about that. His original plan was to find Ramechi on his own and present him to Horobosu. Then threaten the hell out of the demon that had been terrorizing Shuichi. Because Ramechi had to be alive by now… he HAD to be somewhere.

Apollyon had been out of harm's way for long enough. Colin had been spying on Shuichi and his friends and the vampire knew that before… whatever catastrophe had occurred, Apollyon was alive and safe. Therefore, according to the original deal that he had made with Taziel (with Saki's help, oddly enough), Ramechi should be alive. If not, then Yuki would simply confront Taziel… and beat the shit out of him.

Yuki was smart enough to put two and two together… whatever happened to Tiril, happened because of Horobosu. And it was only a matter of time before Horobosu _really_ went after his half-demon.

Yuki was sitting in his study, talking on the phone with Mika. "Were you able to locate Ramechi?" The blonde impatiently tapped his fingers on the desk.

"Yes… but you're not going to like this. _I_ don't like this." Mika let out a sigh.

_What the hell did Mika find out? And why does she sound worried?_ Yuki took a deep breath. He prayed that although Ramechi had been a martyr for angelic causes, that he would retain his goodness. And not blame Shuichi for his death and then join Horobosu. No matter how strong Apollyon and Suzu were, there was no guarantee that they would be able to protect Shuichi (and Tiril) from both brothers.

"Ramechi was resurrected quite a while ago. He woke up in the Valley of the Dismal, stumbled around, alone, confused, and unsure of what had happened to him. I don't know HOW this happened so don't bother to ask me. Yesterday Manchu appeared in Hell, practically right in front of Ramechi. And they left Hell… together." Mika finished quietly, Yuki could almost see her frowning.

"Ramechi is with Manchu?" Yuki repeated dumbly. It didn't make any sense. What would Manchu want with Ramechi? Why would Manchu risk being caught just to meet up with some demon he had never met before? What was the blonde missing? What the hell was going on?

"Yes… so we'll have to assume that wherever Ramechi is now, he's with Michael as well. And we know they're not in Hell. Obviously, they're not in Heaven either. That leaves us with the Demon Realm, the Half-Demon Realm, or the Human Realm. Manchu is smart, he most likely left the Demon Realm. The Half-Demon Realm would certainly leave them privacy… but he would be too disgusted by-"

"You mean to tell me… that Manchu is hiding amongst humans?!"

"These are just possibilities, Yuki. I could be wrong. The fact is… Manchu has the ability to jump from realm to realm. I don't know how he does it; it could be some sort of Type Zero. Yuki, I do not believe in coincidence. Ramechi has been alive for weeks and Manchu never approached him. Then yesterday, out of the blue, Manchu appears, and takes Ramechi with him. You know who else has been disappearing?"

"Who?"

"The phoenixes… all the females do this once a year. I noticed it and I don't like the fact that these two things are occurring at once. I know that when they leave, they're only gone for a day at the most and they are prohibited from talking about where they were."

"Ayaka, Saki, and Reiko left earlier today. What the hell are you trying to say Mika? Get to the point."

"I just talked to Seki about this and she agrees with me. We all know that there's a war coming… what if Manchu is planning on starting it early?"

"… If you're right, then we may be too late. They've been gone for hours."

"It's never too late… gather everyone that you can and call me back when you're ready. I'm going to contact Father… and Lord Tetsuya. If anyone knows where all Nuri's children are, he would know. He would also know how to get there."

"I will."

"Remember Yuki… it's never too late." And with that, Mika hung up the phone. Yuki was partially in shock. Was Mika really right? Was Manchu planning an attack on the phoenixes? Whether it was true or not, he needed to tell Taziel, Tatsuha, Ryuichi, and Crimson. Tohma was too wrapped up in Noriko to care… but then again Saki was in danger. The blonde quickly teleported out of his study.

* * *

Saki and Laura were sitting underneath the table, giggling wildly. Laura had never heard knock-knock jokes before. Saki was all too pleased to make her new friend laugh. And the sound of Laura's clear laughter was enough to trigger her laughter. Saki really enjoyed being with Laura, because it had been so long since she had been around someone… well, almost her age.

"Ok, ok. Knock-knock?" Saki managed to say between giggles.

"W-who's there?" Laura burst into laughter before Saki even replied.

"…KEITH!!"

"Keith…WHOOO??"

"Keith me, thweet heart!"

"Hahahahaha… oh, Saki… hahaha… you're too funny… hahaha." Laura couldn't even complete a sentence without laughing.

"Oh believe me, I know." Saki smirked smugly. _Wow… I totally just did a Crimson. I wish Reiko could've seen me. It definitely would have cheered her up. Man… I wish Crimson was here… then she wouldn't be so sad._

"Willow! Where is Willow?" Nuri's authoritative voice reminded both girls why they were there.

"I wonder when I'm going to be called…" Laura let out a sigh.

"Aw don't worry, we've already got this planned. And if you're still nervous, I'll just come with you." Saki promised.

"Really? You'd go up with me? But it's not allowed; you're not one of my sisters." Laura cocked her head to one side. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I don't think I will because… well because I'm Judge Ukai's daughter." Saki inwardly sighed. _I keep giving her reasons not to like me. Well being honest is a good thing, I guess…_

"I see…" Laura said carefully after a while. "Is there anything else you're keeping from me?" _So she is protected by the power of the Triad... or the memory of it._

"Yea, but I can't tell you… yet. But I'm sure if you come to live with us in Bohemia, I'd be allowed to tell you everything!" Saki grinned widely.

"That's okay, I guess. And yes, I'd like you to come up with me when I'm called." Laura shrugged her shoulders, smiling at Saki.

"Great! He can't possibly say no to both of us!" Saki grinned widely and slung an arm around Laura's shoulders. "We're an unstoppable force!" The half-demon froze… she was talking as if Laura was Michael. And that was wrong. Laura could never take Michael's place… and it was unfair to treat her as if they were best friends already. They needed their own bond and Michael couldn't be a part of that. No matter how much she missed him.

"Unstoppable?" Laura raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"Well… no. Maybe we'll get Reiko to make him say yes. She's certainly more unstoppable than I am." Saki smiled tensely, thoughts of Michael still plaguing her.

"Are you okay, Saki?" Of course, Laura noticed the change in her mood.

"I'm fine, just a little-" Saki broke off as she heard a huge explosion and a bunch of women shrieking. Saki and Laura dove out from underneath the table and stared in shock at the catastrophe in front of them.

Saki felt as if her entire life had slowed down. In a matter of seconds, the banquet room had transformed into a raging battlefield. Fire and destruction were everywhere; the once white tables and chairs had been singed and blackened. The zombie waiters that had once served the daughters desserts and tea were now viciously attacking those females. Most of the older ones were fighting back, but some of the young daughters had been paralyzed by fear. There was a gigantic hole in the wall and bunches and bunches of fresh zombies swarmed in through the hole, wreaking havoc upon the daughters of Nuri. Finally, the outpouring stopped and three beings materialized in front of the hole. Nuri shrieked angrily and flew over to meet the leaders behind the attack. He had chosen to remain in human form.

"Saki! Saki! Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" Saki had no idea when Reiko got there, but she felt slightly comforted by feeling the female's arms around her. "Are you alright, little one?" This was directed at Laura.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Laura gulped, inching closer to Reiko.

"R-Reiko… I don't feel so well…" Ayaka was behind her half-sister, clutching her stomach. The baby in her womb was convulsing, as if in fear of what was to come. The brunette suddenly passed out and Reiko instinctively caught her.

Three zombies finally noticed them and began to saunter over in their direction. "Saki! Protect Ayaka and the baby!" Reiko ordered sharply, laying Ayaka gently on the ground. Saki was still frozen, her emerald eyes locked onto the horrific battle around her. "Saki, wake up! This is **_why_ **Crimson trained you!!"

Crimson's name seemed to break Saki out of her stupor and just in time, too. Reiko flew a few feet ahead to face the three zombies. Laura let out a shriek and Saki whirled around. A zombie stood there, grinning maliciously at Saki. The half-demon narrowed her eyes furiously and began to concentrate her energy.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Nuri's angry voice made her pause in shock. As a matter of fact, everyone stopped moving and turned towards the phoenix's voice. Nuri was standing in front of the three beings and the three finally stepped into the light. Saki's mind froze, her eyes froze, and she lost all the resolve to fight. Reiko and Saki gasped simultaneously.

The being in the middle was Manchu. His long, black hair swept about his face, but they did not hide the malice in his red eyes. He held no sword in his hands, but looked just as formidable without it. On Manchu's left stood a being Saki had never seen before. The being was half-snake, half-man. His human half went from his red hair to his skinny waist. He had black eyes and numerous piercings in both of his ears. His snake half was an extremely long tail that was striped with black and white. There was something foul behind his eyes, something menacing.

The third being… was Michael. He was a lot taller than Saki remembered; he looked as if he was ten years old instead of five. And he certainly didn't have those muscles on him before. His blonde hair was longer and messier; his bangs concealed his blood red eyes, but they glowed immensely. He had a massive, black wing that emerged from his right shoulder. It was practically twice as big as he was. As if to top if off, he had vicious-looking fangs and claws.

"I don't… believe it… he's here." Saki gulped. _So how come I'm not happy? My best friend is back… why am I scared?_

"I offer you my sincerest apologies, Nuri." Manchu did not sound sorry at all. "Your kind almost perished during the Zenith Wars. I intend to finish the job here. For with all these females dead, who can carry on the clan? Who will bear more of your descendents?"

"We're hoping of course, that you'll die, too." Michael spoke then, his cold voice making Saki inwardly shiver. "That would be a plus, but we're not going to be unrealistic. You're practically invincible… but your daughters aren't."

"I'm just here because I got killed by some half-demon that everyone seems to think is so special. I shouldn't have to make any sacrifices for someone I don't even know, especially someone who associates with Angels. Therefore, I have chosen the side that opposes this demon's brother." The half-snake, half-man gestured to Manchu.

Saki's eyes widened; she was staring at Ramechi. Without her, he probably wouldn't even be alive. And how does he repay her kindness? (Not that he knew about her input, but still!) He decides to join forces with Manchu and attack them! How ungrateful could one be? The nerve of him!

"I think we've talked enough, Nuri, don't you?" Michael grinned callously, his red eyes gleaming with bloodlust.

"So… you would declare war on me then?" Nuri demanded furiously. He received no response. Michael snapped his fingers and all the zombies in the room simultaneously let out a piercing shriek. The zombies continued their attack on Nuri and his daughters. Saki watched as Nuri leapt at Manchu, who was obviously the leader, but Ramechi blocked Nuri's attack. Manchu, smirking evilly, sprouted his phoenix wings and took off in the air.

"Saki… I'm not asking you to attack Michael. Do not worry. But do not hesitate to take out anyone else. This is a battle; kill or be killed." Reiko knelt down and put her hands on Saki's shoulders. "Kill off as many zombies as you can. Protect my sisters… especially Ayaka. Understood?"

"Yea, I got it!" Saki nodded, stealing a glance at Laura. "You ready for this?" Reiko planted a kiss on Saki's forehead, released her own phoenix wings and soared after Manchu, her son. Saki marveled at Reiko's bravery… she was able to take on her own son. Saki couldn't even bear to look in Michael's direction.

"Yes, but I won't be much help. I won't be at full strength because there aren't any trees around." Laura smiled apologetically. She held her arms out in front of her and they became tree branches. "But I can protect her." Laura's branches swept up Ayaka's unconscious body off the floor and held her securely.

"Great!" Saki chuckled and began to concentrate on the energy around her. Tiny, purple sparks of energy started to crackle around her fingers.

"Saki-chan, it's good to see you again." A kind voice completely broke her focus. Saki's mouth dropped open. It was Michael. Somehow he was standing right in front of her. But he had just been standing by Ramechi and Manchu. He was fast.

"Saki-chan?" Saki repeated mockingly. "You never called me that."

"Aw, Saki, is that any way to treat your best friend?" Michael grinned, running a claw through his blonde hair. "I missed you."

"I… I missed you, too." Saki admitted, forcing her tears away. Laura watched the exchange between them and began to back away. Michael caught sight of her movements and narrowed his red orbs at her. "Hey! Don't touch Laura! She's my friend!"

"Oh? Really?" Michael crossed his arms over his chest. "Very well, if that is what you wish… I won't lay a finger on her."

_Who is this monster? And why does Saki know him? He's the one that Reiko said Saki didn't have to attack. But why did he come here?_ Laura gulped, pulling Ayaka's body even closer to her. _What does he want with Saki? _Laura also thought it was odd that none of the zombies were nearing them. The battle raged on around them, but not one zombie came to attack Saki or herself. Was it because of Michael?

"What do you want Michael?" Saki growled out. _He's the enemy… right?_

"What's with that angry tone, Saki? Aren't you happy to see me again?" Michael chuckled. "I know I'm not exactly what you expected, but it's still me."

"No! You're wrong! You're not the Michael I remember!" Saki burst out, her emotions causing a bunch of tiny, purple, lightning bolts to sparkle around her.

"Neither are you." Michael pointed at the purple energy around Saki. "You've grown stronger, as well."

"Yea, but I've always had this in me. I'm a half-demon. You're… you're supposed to be human, Michael. What happened to you?" Saki finally asked the question that had been plaguing her. "What did Manchu do to you?"

"I'm sorry, Saki. But what Manchu put me through isn't for sensitive ears." Michael shrugged nonchalantly. "I have a Darkness Demon inside me now and that's all I'll say." Laura tried to hold back her fear. Saki didn't even bother to hide her shock, her fear. Even in unconsciousness, Ayaka moaned, as if she was in pain.

Saki watched as Michael drew twin daggers out of thin air. "Those are Shuichi's! How did you-" Saki couldn't help it. This time she didn't stop the tears.

"They're mine now." Michael snorted, swirling them around in his hands. "I've got to go. Manchu will get pissed if I don't start killing Nuri's daughters. And if I kill enough, I get out of training for a week."

"M-Michael." Saki croaked out, wiping her tears away. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was trying so hard to be strong… but it was so hard. Michael was her best friend, her formerly human friend, and the friend that apparently didn't need or want saving. Why was this happening?

"I know, I know. I won't lay a finger on the wood nymph… or Ayaka." Michael smirked, taking a fighting stance. "But those wenches hiding behind you have to go." Laura whirled around in shock and saw about five of her sisters standing there. They were quivering in fear.

"Michael, no!!" Saki screamed out as the blonde flew forward, zipped over Saki and Laura and slashed through the women, Laura's sisters. He killed all five in a matter of seconds. Their bodies flopped to the floor, blood still pouring out of their corpses. The half-demon stared in horror as Michael took off without even looking back, swiping through more and more women.

Saki fell to her knees, holding herself. _He… he just killed them._ She couldn't move, she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. _What am I supposed to do?_

"Saki!!" Laura screamed out, causing Saki to look up. About fifteen zombies had surrounded them. _I can't fight and protect Ayaka at the same time… we're done._

_I sure as hell can't fight Michael. But I can fight these scumbags!_ Saki slowly stood up, her tiny body still quivering. "Bring it on, bitches!!" She didn't know where her newfound strength had come from, but she going to try and hold onto it this time.

Laura watched in amazement as two huge, purple, lightning bolts appeared in each of Saki's hands. She dashed out at the zombies, slicing through each of them with her lightning bolts. She held the bolts as if they were swords… and they certainly did the job. Each zombie she attacked either burst into flames or was electrocuted. She was just as fast and diligent as Michael. Every zombie around them fell to Saki's lightning bolts.

"Wow… Saki… that was awesome." Laura grinned in spite of the situation around them.

"Yeah… but we need to take out the big guys. Look, killing zombies is easy. It's Manchu, Ramechi, and Michael; they're the _real_ problem." Saki pointed out.

* * *

Tohma and Noriko were cuddling on the cold floor. The purple-haired woman was lying in her demon's arms, safe and warm. The darkness of the cell had no effect on their mood. They were together and that was all that mattered. Tohma was thinking out loud, going on and on through possibilities. He was still trying to figure out who had impregnated Ayaka.

"I can tell you one thing… everyone seems to be using Type Zeroes these days." Noriko cut in, breaking Tohma's tirade. "I guess it's a sign of things to come, right? The war?"

"Yes… it is. But don't worry. You have my seal." Tohma gently kissed the back of Noriko's neck.

"It's not me I'm worrying about-" Noriko's eyes widened. She just had a horrible feeling, a feeling of fear that threatened to twist her insides until she choked and vomited. "Tohma… something's wrong…"

"What is it, Noriko?" The blonde demon spun Noriko around so that she faced him. Her green eyes were riddled with terror.

"It's Saki! Tohma, find Saki! Find my baby! She's in danger!" Noriko shouted out, tears sprouting from her eyes. "Tohma… you have to believe me, I can feel it. My baby's in danger and I can't do anything. I don't even know where she is. Where is she?" The feeling of dread was spreading. Noriko had never doubted her intuition and she sure as hell was not going to stop now.

"If you're right… then she's not here. Nothing's going on inside the manor." Tohma frowned pensively. _Ayaka is at the tea party… she told Reiko about it and she probably brought Saki. _"She's at the tea party."

"Tohma… can you get there?" Noriko asked him. "I need to know she's safe. Please, just go. Protect my daughter if she needs-"

"Noriko…" Tohma ran his fingers through his hair. _Yes, I can get there. But by doing so, I'd be breaking the law._ "I'll go."

"Tohma… thank you so much!" Noriko flung her arms around Tohma and hugged him tightly. "I love you! Come back safe."

"I will, my love." Tohma leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. The blonde demon stood up and closed his eyes. Being Lord Seguchi's son, he knew more about Nuri than most beings did. He knew exactly where to teleport. He could picture the banquet room perfectly in his mind and his body vanished into thin air.

Noriko let out a sigh of relief. She knew that Tohma would look after her daughter. Her fear was beginning to dissipate. Now all she had to do was wait. And who knows, maybe her intuition was wrong? Maybe Saki wasn't in danger at all and Tohma would return in a moment. Then he would tease her and then they would have sex and forget about the whole thing. But deep down… Noriko couldn't fool herself. She knew, she just **_knew_** that something was wrong.

* * *

Reiko flapped her wings fiercely. Manchu glared at his mother, his own wings beating rapidly. "So Mother, we meet again. But this is not a squabble between mother and son, but a battle between demons." Manchu spoke calmly.

"Why couldn't you seek therapy like a normal child?" Reiko snarled out.

"Because Mother… I _**am**_ no normal child." Manchu grinned menacingly. And so, Mother and son flew at each other. Reiko held nothing back and neither did Manchu. Their angry, birdlike shrieks filled the room.

Ramechi had made about fifteen copies of himself and they were spreading about the room, attacking the daughters of Nuri. Nuri himself was after the real Ramechi, but he was torn between concentrating on the enemy and protecting his daughters. The battle showed no signs of ending.

* * *

Yuki, Tatsuha, Crimson, Taziel, and Ryuichi were all in Ryuichi's study. "How the hell are we supposed to get there?" Tatsuha was the first to break the grave silence after Yuki told them about his conversation with Mika. "If there's a slaughter going on we're powerless to stop it unless we can get there!"

"Tohma would know." Ryuichi uttered darkly. "But I can't sense him anywhere." _That damned traitor… the one time we actually need him._

"Why would he know?" Crimson spat out. He was beyond pissed off. Reiko was potentially in danger and he could do nothing about it.

"Under my Father's orders, Lord Seguchi, Nuri, and Judge Ukai formed an alliance called the_ Triad_ ages ago. Of course, it perished after Seki sealed Lord Seguchi away. Nuri himself has very few close relationships with others. Lord Seguchi and Judge Ukai could have been labeled his 'best friends', if he even believes in such a term. Therefore, Tohma, being Lord Seguchi's son, has seen much more of Nuri than most of us ever will." Yuki explained, running his fingers through his hair.

"I think it's safe to assume that Tohma left his cell to honor the memory of the Triad and aid Nuri. Tohma's departure certainly leads me to believe there is a battle going on." Taziel declared thoughtfully.

"So you're telling me the only other being that would know where they are is Judge Ukai?!" Crimson punched the wall in anger. _Saki's just a child… If that bastard actually cared about his kid we could convince him to tell us where they are._

"Crimson, calm yourself." Taziel put a hand on Crimson's shoulder, but the Angel of Vanity threw it off.

"We must have faith in Tohma." Ryuichi realized, inwardly grimacing at his words. "He is the son of a prominent demon lord and trained assassin, quite arguably the best this universe has ever seen. Upon arriving at Nuri's lair, Tohma will assess the situation. If he believes he can turn the battle in Nuri's favor without us, he will. If he realizes he has just arrived at a massacre, he will use his battle tokens to summon us to battle."

"Battle tokens?" Crimson repeated, confused.

"Tohma comes from a family of warriors and assassins. The Seguchi family knows how valuable comradeship is, especially in battle. They have the ability to create innumerable pieces of paper that can materialize in front of their allies. The paper will teleport whoever touches it to the scene of a battle." Yuki let out a sigh. _I'm doing way too much talking today… This is ridiculous._

"So Tohma's gonna send us a piece of paper that will teleport us to Nuri's lair?" Crimson crossed his arms over his chest. "He better hurry the hell up then."

"Patience, Crimson. He may not even need us." Taziel took a seat on Ryuichi's orange couch. "All we can do right now is wait."

"Unless someone knows where the Judge is." Tatsuha spoke up.

"As if he would help us… he gave away his own _daughter_, in case any of you have forgotten." Crimson snapped out angrily. "And Tohma doesn't exactly like us all either. His precious Yuki isn't in danger, so why would he-"

"I believe Crimson, you have forgotten about Noriko." Ryuichi narrowed his blue eyes. "Saki is in Nuri's lair and I'm sure Noriko asked him to protect Saki. And how is he supposed to protect one child while fighting against Manchu's forces? He _will_ summon us. He has no choice."

"Whatever." Crimson spat out, glaring at the wall. He didn't want to admit it, but Ryuichi was right. So was Taziel… but he fucking hated waiting!

* * *

Saki and Laura had a battle plan. The duo would make their way over to one of Laura's sisters. They would find out what abilities the daughter had and would then find a way to collaborate in order to take out the zombies and/or Ramechi's copies. If they were alone, Saki would take out as many zombies as she could with her lightning bolts and if she was in danger, Laura would pick her up with one of her branches. Not a single zombie had been able to bite or claw through Laura's branches, so they usually gave up and looked for another female to attack.

Saki had her eyes locked onto Helena, one of Nuri's daughters. She was surrounded by about eleven zombies and two copies of Ramechi. "Laura, let's go!" Saki dashed out, wielding her lightning bolts fiercely. She cut through zombies in order to get to Helena.

Helena was blasting the zombies with fireballs, but she was fairing well against the Ramechi copies. One of them wrapped its long tail around her and began to squeeze. Helena let out a loud scream as she felt some of her ribs begin to crack. Saki ran even faster, jumped in the air, and swiped through the copy's tail with her lightning bolts. Helena almost fell to the ground, but Laura caught her sister with her branch.

Saki rapidly took out the other zombies that Helena hadn't beaten yet. Finally, only the other Ramechi clone remained. Laura set Helena on the ground. "Are you okay?" Laura asked her sister.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Helena tried to steady her breathing. Saki dashed out at the Ramechi clone, ready to attack.

"Hahaha… and I thought the Ukai clan was extinct. Well, except for the good judge." Saki's eyes widened as she realized that the clone in front of her, was _not_ a clone. The _real_ Ramechi was slithering towards her. She knew she wasn't strong enough to defeat him. She was a goner.

Saki froze, gulping. Was she really going to meet her end here, in this destroyed banquet room? She was never going to see her Mother again? She wouldn't see Shuichi again either? Ramechi smiled evilly as his long tail practically flew towards Saki's tiny body.

Saki's eyes closed automatically and she held her hands in front of her face. She heard Laura gasp and Helena let out a squeak, but she didn't feel anything. No pain at all. Saki cautiously opened her eyes and her mouth dropped open in shock. Tohma Seguchi was standing right in front of her, holding a sword in each hand.

"Do _**not**_ touch her." Tohma uttered ominously. Even Ramechi looked a little frightened and the half-snake unconsciously slid backwards. The blonde turned to face Saki. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah… what are you doing here?" Saki blinked slowly.

"Your Mother thought you were in danger. She was right." Tohma narrowed his eyes at the battle raging around him. He caught sight of Manchu and Reiko clashing in the air, Nuri burning every enemy in sight, and Michael Winchester butchering Nuri's daughters by the nanosecond. He was going to need help.

* * *

**Hey! I hope you liked it! Please let me know what you thought of it! I'm working on Chapter 34: The Beast and the Bolt so look for it! :) And if you know your Code Geass you'll be able to see what aspect of the show inspired me to write a certain portion of Chapter 34. Haha I'm so excited, I can't wait to write it!! .**

**P.s. Lol tonight at work (I have a job at a New York and Company) I saw this chick who looked like Rachel McAdams with a blonde wig on. But it wasn't her... too bad, I'd love to meet a celebrity lol.**


	45. Chapter 34: The Beast and The Bolt

**Hey everyone!! Here's Chapter 34!! :) I hope you guys like the way I'm portraying the battle so far. I've never written anything like this before (if I have I forgot haha) so I am a bit unsure about how this chapter turned out. Hope you like it! And as always, if you find any mistakes please let me know.**

* * *

_**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR:**_

_**THE BEAST AND THE BOLT**_

* * *

Tohma Seguchi rapidly summoned a blue shield and placed it on the ground. The shield erected a gigantic barrier around Saki, Laura, Helena, Ayaka, and himself. "This barrier cannot be lifted by anyone besides me. Don't worry." The blonde frowned. "Lady Ayaka can stay here."

"This barrier is big enough to hold most of the wounded. And those who are too young to fight." Helena pointed out. Laura placed Ayaka on the ground. She was tired of carrying the woman around anyways. Oddly enough, Ayaka had stayed immobile the entire time. It was as if the baby in her womb had forced her into a comatose-like state.

"Gather as many of your sisters as you can without endangering your life and return here." Tohma ordered and the white-haired girl obeyed, sprouting large wings and taking off into the air.

"What should we do?" Saki asked timidly. She didn't exactly know how to act around Tohma. Sure he liked her Mom, but that didn't mean he liked her.

"You will stay at my side at all times." Tohma stated and his words filled her with relief. She was definitely safe with him. The demon turned to Laura. "You will stay and help tend to the wounded."

"R-right…" Laura nodded her head quickly.

"Saki, let's go." Tohma knelt down and Saki clambered onto his back.

"Where are we going?" The half-demon asked carefully.

"To speak with Nuri… something but be done about the boy." Tohma answered and darted out of the barrier. Saki _knew_ that "the boy" was Michael. Tohma _knew_ that the boy was killing off more of Nuri's daughters than Ramechi and the zombies combined. Reiko had obviously occupied her son, which was a smart move on her part. Nuri was trying to kill off Ramechi, but his paranoia at losing his race again had blinded him. The boy was the _real_ problem.

Tohma effortlessly cut through every zombie and Ramechi clone in his path, making his way over to Nuri. Saki watched in awe as his sharp blades ripped through practically everything. He was running quickly too, she realized as she clung even tighter to his neck.

"Nuri!" Tohma sliced through three zombies at once, did a flip in the air, and landed right in front of the king of the phoenixes.

"Boy, what are you doing here?" Nuri growled out, making Saki's eyes widen in surprise. King or not, he sure was ungrateful.

"I've come to help. You don't seem to be doing so well." Tohma gently set Saki on the ground, but didn't move an inch from her. Nuri's eyes flicked to Saki for a moment, but then returned to Tohma's face. "You need us to create a distraction so you can perform-"

"Do not speak so frankly about my techniques while the enemy is present!" Nuri hissed out, his golden eyes flashing at Tohma. "I know what I must do and why I cannot do it!" Saki turned her head slightly and saw four zombies slinking towards them. But she was too afraid of Nuri to say anything.

"Very well… I came only to ask your permission. May I summon them here?" Tohma asked, bowing his head slightly. Saki rapidly formed her two purple lightning bolts, raced away from Tohma to meet the zombies and cut through them all. Nuri whipped his head around as the four zombies fell to the ground, writhing in pain. The grand phoenix and Saki locked eyes for the longest time.

"Tetsuya is not going to like this…" Nuri narrowed his golden eyes at Saki, who was extremely scared. "It seems that even he is incapable of-"

"Saki, let's return to the barrier." Tohma interrupted, kneeling down once again. Saki just about soared happily onto his back and the demon took off without another word.

"Why is he so scary?!" Saki screamed out as Tohma smoothly chopped through a Ramechi clone. She could see his barrier in the distance. Not a single zombie or clone had been able to get inside. Tohma really was amazing and strong and… well she was just glad her Mother made Tohma _not_ creepy. She usually didn't feel this safe unless she was around Reiko… or Crimson.

"His family is under attack. This is the one day of the year that he is completely vulnerable. I think he's allowed to be scary today, don't you?" Tohma asked gently.

"Uh yeah, I guess so." Saki answered slowly. She couldn't figure out why Tohma was being so nice to her. It wasn't making any sense. Then again, nothing was making sense today. Tohma ran back into the barrier and Saki hopped off his back. About thirty or forty of Nuri's daughters were inside the barrier, not counting Laura, Ayaka, and Helena.

Tohma inwardly sighed; he knew no healing techniques. His father had forbid him from learning curative spells. _"The best defense is an ever better offense. If you are strong enough, no one will be able to cut you. The Seguchi family has never focused on such useless aspects of magic. We are killers, not healers."_ However, he did know a rather strong healer who would most certainly come if summoned.

"Who among you is strong enough to fight?" Tohma faced the women. "I need someone to create a diversion long enough for me to summon reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" One girl asked hopefully.

"My sisters here are all wounded. How can you ask them to fight?" Helena stood protectively in front of them.

"Do you see him out there?!" Tohma shouted out, pointed at Michael in the distance. Saki could barely stand to look at the blonde, who was plunging his weapons into the abdomen of a female, that same twisted smile on his face. "If we don't do something now, you'll be the only survivors!"

"Helena, what's your ability?" Saki asked quickly, trying to diffuse the tension. Tohma watched her with an interested expression on his face.

"I can control other people's thoughts." Helena answered.

"Can you control Ramechi's mind? He holds the power of illusion… which is practically the essence of distraction." Laura pointed out thoughtfully.

"Distract Ramechi while I summon the others. It will take about five minutes to complete and I won't be able to move until all the battle tokens have reached their destinations." Tohma put an arm around Saki's shoulders. "I want you to stay with me." The blonde didn't understand this feeling, but he fiercely wanted to protect Saki no matter what. But where did this protectiveness spawn from?

"Hey, I'm no weakling! And besides, with Helena distracting Ramechi, I won't be in any danger! And some of Laura's sisters need my help!" Saki protested. _I have to do what I can! And killing zombies is a piece of cake!_

"Fine… stay as close to the barrier as you can." Tohma reluctantly let her go, knowing that this was not the time to argue. She was just as stubborn as Noriko. He would be watching her at all times. He hoped that no harm would come to the girl.

"I will go with you, Helena." Laura took a deep breath. "I have a plan."

* * *

Suguru Fujisaki was strolling down the walkway. It was crowded, children were playing loudly, and two humans were even getting married in the sand below. Other humans were shopping, eating at the little restaurants, or of course, dashing towards the beach itself. Life was exquisite in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. He didn't mind being alone at the beach; they were certainly enough people to watch. The demon sat down at one of the benches and simply watched the humans.

_They certainly are interesting…_ Suguru smiled, watching a skinny, blonde human ride a wave on his surfboard. _They're so carefree and happy._ The male then turned his attention to a bunch of tan teenagers playing volleyball in the sand. _And most of them don't even know that we exist…_

Suguru closed his eyes in pleasure as the soft, calming wind blew through his green hair. Everything was so laidback at the beach. The people were nicer, all smiles and greetings and there was no rush or hustle and bustle, unless of course, little Sarah had to use the potty. It was amazing, the peaceful feeling that rushed through his soul. He felt as if the very waves that crashed upon the sand were taking away all of his problems, his worries, his fears. Such was the power of Nature.

It was the same everywhere he went. Whether he was admiring the view while on the skyride up to Grouse Mountain in Vancouver or marveling at the green landscape of Italy from the tour bus window, Nature never failed to impress him. Suguru's mind was completely relaxed and so, he began to meditate.

A few moments later, the demon slowly opened his brown eyes and gently smiled. The croaking of seagulls and the dancing waves upon the shore resonated through his ears. Suguru stood up, intending to venture down to the ocean itself.

Suguru took one step and then froze in surprise. A golden piece of paper materialized right in front of him. It levitated softly in the air… and judging by the way the humans were just walking by without staring at it… they couldn't see it. A sole sentence had been inscribed on the paper. It was written in fancy script with bold, black ink:

**I, Tohma Seguchi, wish to summon you to battle.**

He stared at the battle token in shock, the words ringing through his skull. His cousin hadn't talked to him in ages… and now all of a sudden Tohma needed his help? It didn't make any sense. His cousin rarely asked for help… especially from his family. Suguru had a bad feeling about this. He knew that if he touched that piece of paper, he would be instantly transported to wherever Tohma was. And somehow he knew… he _just_ knew that nothing would ever be the same.

Suguru let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his short hair. _First I have those bizarre dreams about that boy with the purple eyes and now this._ _What should I do? Should I accept? Should I go see my cousin, whom I haven't seen in years?_ All his meditation was for naught, because now his mind was a jumbled mess of tension, uncertainty. The demon intently gazed at the battle token in front of him.

_I can walk away from this. I can walk away and leave this paper here. It'll disappear and I'll probably never hear from Tohma again._ Suguru crossed his arms over his chest. _But he rarely asks for help. I'm his family, we share blood. What kind of man would I be if I didn't help someone who asks for it_? Suguru Fujisaki found himself at the crossroads, two paths outstretched in front of him. He could either continue on, ignoring his cousin or allow himself to be drawn back into _that_ world. Crossroads indeed.

* * *

Helena knew the mind very well. She could tell which beings were clones of Ramechi, because they had the mental capacity of zombies, perhaps even less. They were merely creations intended to fight, they had no other purpose. They had no free will and therefore, their thoughts were blank. Therefore, it was extremely easy to bend their minds to her will. And of course, her actions would attract the attention of the real Ramechi.

Laura and Saki watched in shock as dozens and dozens of Ramechi clones stopped attacking Nuri's daughters. The Ramechi clones began dancing around as if they were all at a party of some sort. Saki almost burst out laughing at the sight. She turned back to the barrier, stealing a look at Tohma. He was sitting down on the floor, his eyes shut in complete concentration. Eight golden pieces of paper drifted about in the air above his head, forming an octagon.

"Now! Run to the barrier!!" Helena shouted out and her sisters obeyed. Countless females raced to the security of Tohma's barrier. Helena mentally commanded the clones to kill themselves. Nuri smiled proudly at his daughter as the Ramechi clones began to attack each other. His sharp eyes looked for the real Ramechi, the one that wasn't dancing around or attacking his double.

Saki spotted him first. The original Ramechi had his tail wrapped around a tiny girl with blue hair. "Kalani!!" Helena shrieked out, her anger growing. Nuri soared forth, grabbing his daughter with one arm and blasting Ramechi in the face with a gigantic fireball with the other. Her mouth agape, Laura grabbed onto Saki's arm and pointed towards the ceiling. Saki's mouth formed a circle at the sight.

Michael was hovering in the air. "De mortis nil nisi bonum!" He slashed at the air with the daggers, leaving a jagged blue and silver "X" behind. The "X" shone blood red and grew until it became a huge circle. Hundreds and hundreds of zombies leapt out of the circle, to Saki's amazement. The hole finally closed up, but the tide had turned once again. Most of Ramechi clones were gone… but now they had an army of zombies to take care of. And they looked ready to eat.

"Helena, now!!" Laura shouted out. Helena nodded her white head and calmed herself. She commanded the real Ramechi to form gigantic trees using his powers. Laura smiled, feeling her own powers growing already. Enormous, healthy, blooming trees began sprouting up out of nowhere. It was as if a forest had been instantly planted in the banquet room. Helena broke her hold on Ramechi's mind and the half-snake, half-man gawked in shock at what he had done. Nuri used Ramechi's surprise to his advantage and began attacking with even more ferocity.

Laura gathered her energy and began to control the trees. They began to move, their roots pulling them along. They crushed and swung fiercely at the zombies. Some of the other trees took her sisters and placed them inside Tohma's barrier. "Saki, let's go!" Laura leapt onto one of the nearby tree branches and stretched her arm out. Saki reached up, trying to reach Laura's fingertips but then-

"You didn't really think I'd leave my mind that vulnerable, did you?" Ramechi cackled madly. His perverse smile made Helena shiver. The female automatically began backing away. Saki froze; her arm was still up in the air. Nuri had been fighting a clone all along. They had all been fooled.

Ramechi slithered swiftly towards Helena and Saki. Laura instructed the tree she was standing on to move in between them, but Ramechi was faster than the tree. Saki hurriedly formed her purple lightning bolts. _I have to face him head-on. I can't be afraid! _The girl dashed over to Ramechi, ignoring Helena's and Laura's shouts. Then for some reason she was suspended in the air. And pain, there was pain. Her lightning bolts fell to floor, sizzled, and vanished.

Her world slowed down. It was as if she was going somewhere else… she felt as if she was a ghost living in a body. Saki slowly looked down and saw Ramechi's long tail. She had been impaled on Ramechi's tail. The end of it was sticking out of the hole that was currently in her abdomen. Her blood was pouring out of her body. She had been impaled on Ramechi's tail… and the pain was indescribable. His tail went in through her tummy and out through her back. She couldn't even cry. She couldn't shout. She couldn't move.

Saki faintly heard an angry scream. Someone could still make noise. She watched with hazy eyes as a myriad of swords, spears, axes, poles, maces, dirks, knives, and war hammers all simultaneously pierced Ramechi's body. His body was ripped, shredded, destroyed. And she was falling, falling because the only part of Ramechi's body that hadn't been cut was the piece of his tail that was inside her.

She fell into soft arms and slowly looked up into Tohma's eyes. There were unshed tears embedded in them. She never thought eyes could look so soft. But she was tired, so very tired and she closed her eyes...

* * *

Saki was standing in a realm with no ending and no beginning. She could have been standing on a floor; she could have been floating in the air. Saki looked down and saw that her wound was gone. And she was wearing a white dress.

Wherever she was, it was dimly lit. She didn't know where the feeble source of light was coming from. "Saki Ukai… It seems that Tetsuya was wrong about you…" An amused voice uttered out of nowhere. Saki whirled around but she didn't see anything. "The very blood in your veins has called you here, just as Tetsuya was called here millennia ago."

"W-who are you?" Saki gulped. If this guy knew that her Father was in his thousands, then he had to be one of his friends, right? Then why did she feel so scared? What was going on? Why was she here? She had so many questions…

"I am the god of thunder and lightning. I am known by many names: Aktzin, Zeus, Tlaloc, Wakinyan Tanka, Jupiter, Tinia, Teshub, Huracan, Shango, Lei Gong, Apocatequil, Perkwunos, Indra, Ani Hyuntikwalaski, Thor, Xolotl, Tāwhaki… my names are endless. You, of the Ukai clan, due to your Japanese heritage, refer to me as: Raijin.

"Saki, you know nothing of the olden days. During the Zenith Wars, I made a deal with your ancestors. Through me, those of the Ukai clan can master lightning manipulation. They also have the ability to summon me, if needed. You, child, were on the brink of death. Such is the reason you have been called here, to my realm. Once again, the contract shall be signed." Raijin explained to Saki.

"That doesn't seem much like a deal… it's more like a gift. Did they have to give you something in return?" Saki blurted out before she could stop herself. _Great now he's probably going to smite me or whatever… I shouldn't have said that…_

"My child, your ancestors have already paid the price. In times of war, beings were… desperate for power. They would do anything for it. Do not concern yourself with matters of the past." The god chuckled, sending a shiver down Saki's spine. Whatever they had to do for this god, it obviously wasn't pretty.

"Now then, you will read and sign the contract-" Raijin began.

"W-wait a minute… don't I have a choice? What if I don't want to sign this contract?" Saki interrupted, feeling slightly frightened. She felt as if things were out of control, that her life was rapidly changing and she could do nothing about it.

"Saki, you have nothing to lose. You will gain my powers and you will survive. For you see, if I release you now and your consciousness returns to the realm of Nuri, you will die. You have received a life-threatening wound. Your body is tiny, delicate and the illusionist tore through many of your organs through impalement. Most importantly, your ancestors have suffered so that you could possess this power, free of charge. Would you let their sacrifice go in vain?" The god replied smoothly. He made a lot of sense. He was definitely smart.

"I'll… I'll die?" The thought of not being alive anymore shocked her. So in essence, this god had saved her life. He could have let her die. But no, Saki was alive right now… she was still breathing. And she certainly wanted it to stay that way. "I-I don't want to die!"

"Very well then, my child, I will bring forth the contract. Normally I would have the other party sign this contract in blood… but because you are Tetsuya's child, I will waive that stipulation. I will read the contract to you and you will answer the questions I ask you." The god declared boldly. A withered scroll appeared out of nowhere and it unrolled itself. "Do you, Saki Ukai, pledge to rain justice upon those who wrong you and those you care about?"

"Yes." Saki gulped. Raijin sure did sound serious.

"Do you pledge to hone yourself in the ways of lightning? Do you pledge to respect, but dominate this element?"

"Yes."

"And finally, Saki Ukai, do you pledge to not only deliver judgment upon your enemies and master this powerful element but to summon me if your life is in mortal danger?"

"…Yes?"

"If your life ends, then the contract is void and I can no longer return to your world via summoning. Believe me, child, when I say that keeping you alive is in _both_ our best interests."

"Oh… well then okay. Yes."

"Very well, Saki Ukai, the summoning technique is rather easy to learn. When you are ready to summon me, spread your arms out as far as they can go. Then, you must state these words: 'I, Saki Ukai, invoke Raijin, the god of thunder and lightning, to come and beget justice upon this land.' Finally, reach for the skies with your fingertips and I will come down to you."

"Alright… that seems simple enough. And when I'm really big trouble I can summon you?" Saki asked hopefully. _So when Crimson picks on me, I'll summon Raijin and then he'll be sorry. Ha!_

"Yes, child, do not hesitate to summon me. It has been too long… I long to see what has become of the world I left behind." Raijin replied wistfully.

"My Father doesn't summon you?" Saki asked, already knowing the answer. Her Father never seemed to put himself in life-threatening situations in all of her six years of existence. And she certainly never saw him summon Raijin.

"No." Raijin responded curtly.

"Why not?" Saki demanded inquiringly.

"That I'm afraid… is the one question I _cannot_ answer. Now then, Saki, our time here is up. I will return your consciousness to your body. You will find that no time has passed since you left. Do not be afraid… I am always with you." If Saki could see Raijin, she had a feeling that he would be smiling. She felt safe.

"It's good to know I've got a god on my side. And a cool one at that." Saki grinned happily. _And I sure as hell don't have to worry about dying anymore. That's always a plus…_

"Thank you, Saki." And with those words, Raijin departed. Saki had a feeling that she was alone and she noticed that the empty realm around her was slowing fading away into darkness…

* * *

Saki slowly opened her eyes. Raijin was right. No time had passed. The chaos of the battle was still all around her. Michael and the zombies were attacking. Laura and Helena were running towards her. The trees were still attacking the zombies and Nuri's daughters were filing into the barrier. Nuri was shooting fireballs at the zombies, but he was accidentally burning the trees. Ramechi's dead boy lay before her, slashed and ruptured beyond repair. Tohma was still holding her tightly and Ramechi's tail was still implanted in her body, but the pain was gone. She couldn't feel anything. She could hear something though, someone was calling her…

"-ki! Saki! Saki!" Tohma cried out, holding her body close to him.

"I… I'm okay." Saki managed to croak out, her green eyes searching for his. She tiredly smiled up at him. "Thanks for killing Ramechi."

"I'm sorry… I failed you." Tohma smiled, but it was a broken smile.

"No, no you didn't-" Saki broke off as six bright yellow balls of light entered the banquet room. They hovered rapidly over to Tohma and circled around him. The light was so dazzling it hurt Saki's eyes. Finally, the light was gone from her eyelids and Saki opened her eyes. Her jaw dropped open in shock.

Yuki, Tatsuha, Ryuichi, Crimson, Taziel, and Hiroshi were all standing around Tohma. The blonde had brought them all here. They were saved. Saki grinned happily at Crimson and then pointed up. The redhead raised his eyes and saw Reiko fighting against Manchu. He could instantly tell that she wasn't giving it her full strength, that she was merely diverting her son from the battle. Everyone either stared out at the damaged room in awe or grew angry at the sight of Nuri's dead daughters on the floor.

Hiroshi was the first to move. He leapt forward to Tohma, wove his hand over Saki's abdomen, and her wound was healed. Just like that. The only unscathed piece of Ramechi's body fell to the floor. "The other women need you as well." Tohma gently placed Saki on the ground. She ran forward and jumped into Crimson's arms. "Ayaka is unharmed." Hiroshi let out a deep breath; the possibility that Ayaka was harmed or worse had worried him gravelly.

"Let's go kick some ass!" Tatsuha cheered out, punched the air, and ran off to face the zombies. Ryuichi nodded in reply, but not before stealing a look at Saki. Something was different about her aura… but he couldn't put his finger on it. The demon shrugged it off and followed his lover out into the battlefield.

Yuki wordlessly dove out into the mass of zombies and began burning them all. "I will also go and heal the wounded." Taziel spoke up next, flying off towards Tohma's barrier, with Hiroshi following close behind. _I hope she does not summon him here… he could kill us all._ The Angel knew that they would win the battle now.

"Are you okay, squirt?" Crimson put Saki down and ruffled her hair.

"Yea, I'm fine. Tohma protected me!" Saki chirped up happily. Crimson's eyebrows rose at that. "Now let's go kill some zombies!" Her purple thunderbolts instantly materialized and she gripped them tightly. For some reason, the action of forming her bolts didn't take up any of her energy. Then she remembered the contract she had made. _Man… being an Ukai sure has its perks!_

Saki ran out towards the zombies that had surrounded Helena and Laura, bolts in hand, ready to fight. Tohma took off after her instinctively. Crimson stared at them in shock. This battle had changed her; he could see that. But there was a passion behind her eyes that he had never seen before. And since when was Tohma her bodyguard? The Angel of Vanity decided to shrug it off; now wasn't the time to ask questions. He ran over to the area beneath where Manchu and Reiko were fighting in the air.

Manchu looked down and finally realized that his side was losing the battle. His Mother had been distracting him the entire time. His eyes locked onto the wood nymph child. He knew that Michael couldn't kill anyone that had just appeared, but if the nymph was taken out, the trees would cease their attacks. Then he would accept his defeat and leave. "Michael! Kill the wood nymph!" He ordered sharply and the blonde boy turned to him rapidly. "Mother… you conniving-" Reiko responded by zooming in and scratching him across the face, drawing his blood.

Reiko flew higher in the air, as if taunting her son. _I'm sorry… I'm hitting you again. I love you my son, but I cannot allow you to kill my sisters. I will keep you here with me. _Manchu furiously tore after her, forgetting about everything else around him. There were too many intense emotions coursing through his veins, his mind plagued by horrid memories of long ago.

Michael nodded obediently and rose in the air. The blonde boy shook his head at Manchu, who was chasing after Reiko. It was sad, the way he couldn't let go of her. _Oh well… I have a job to do._ He immediately spotted the nymph; she was Saki's friend, the one he had said he wouldn't lay a finger on. Very well… there were ways around that promise. The synthetic half-demon soared towards Laura.

Laura was exhausted. Maintaining control over the trees was exhausting her. Helena was trying her best to protect her sister, but she could only control so many minds at once. The white-haired female caught sight of someone rapidly flying towards them. Thinking it was one of Saki's comrades, Helena smiled with relief. Then her eyes locked onto the infamous, bloodstained daggers and she screamed.

"Michael!! No!! NO!!" Saki tried to run faster, cut through zombies faster, but she couldn't.

Michael ignored her cries and held his right hand back behind him as he flew in closer. Helena jumped to tackle her sister out of the way, but about twenty zombies plopped down on top of her. The blonde's red eyes locked onto Laura's shocked, frozen face. In one swift motion, he punched her across the face with the dagger that he held in his right hand. Laura's body soared high in the air, her blood gushing out from her face.

"LAURA!!" Saki shrieked out, wishing with all her heart that she could fly up and catch her friend. "Tohma… please!" _How could he do that?!_

"Be safe." Tohma held her close for a second, kissing the top of her head. He then took off in the air after Laura's moving body. Saki dashed forward, easily slicing through the zombies that held Helena captive.

"Are you okay?" Saki demanded, staring at Helena. She was beaten and bloody, but alive. _Michael… I can't forgive you for this… I can't!_

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks." Helena slowly stood up, taking deep breaths.

"Good." Saki then turned to look for Michael, who was zooming towards Tohma and Laura. And she grew angry. Angry that her best friend had been turned into a monster, angry that the boy she had once shared a bath with was now hurting the people she cared about, angry that she could do nothing to reverse what had been done. He wasn't her Michael anymore… he was something else.

"Fiat lux." Saki whispered the fatal spell before she could stop herself and her body instantly became invisible. She gripped her purple thunderbolts tightly and tore after Michael. Her anger filled her, empowered her. She raced past all the zombies, past Yuki and Tatsuha and Ryuichi.

Saki was angry, so very angry. Michael had hurt one of her friends. He had no right to do that. He had to pay for what he had done. And he had killed so many of Laura's sisters. How many of Nuri's daughters had husbands, children, friends? And now, countless lives would be torn apart, changed forever because of what he had done. Justice had to be served. He had taken too many lives today… but Laura's name would _not_ be added to that list. She would make sure of that.

Reiko stiffened as the air around her became foggy. She instantly flew lower and looked up. She had been flying in a giant storm cloud… but it wasn't there before. Manchu hunted after her, not even realizeing that he too, had been inside the dark, gray cloud. Where did it come from? And why was it growing bigger?

Nuri froze, ceasing his attack on the zombie. He knew this feeling. Somewhere… an Ukai was _very_ pissed off. But Tetsuya wasn't here… the phoenix frantically looked around for Saki and found that her presence had vanished entirely. But he could still feel the energy in the air… and the rapidly forming clouds above his head was proof enough. Somehow, in all this chaos, the girl had signed the contract with Raijin. And she was utilizing her newfound powers, whether she knew it or not. _And I thought the boy was the biggest threat…_

As Saki neared Michael, she held her left arm high in the air. Her purple thunderbolt sizzled with excitement. He was still zipping towards Tohma; he had no idea what was coming to him. The half-demon jumped in the air as high as she could, but then realized that she was still going up. She stole a look at her feet and to her surprise, a gray cloud the size of a wheel was underneath her, pushing her up.

Saki grinned confidently as she continued to rise in the air. Finally, she leapt in the air once again, did a backflip and thrust her purple lightning bolt right into Michael's abdomen. Michael let out a loud screech, his eyes flashing in pain. Tohma used the opportunity to head back to his barrier, holding Laura in his arms. Saki yanked her thunderbolt back out of Michael as she began to plummet towards the ground, but the cloud flew back underneath her and kept her in the air. She then jumped in the air again, swiping at Michael with her thunderbolts.

Michael couldn't fend off his attacker because he couldn't _see_ who was attacking him. He was in so much pain, he could barely breathe. The blonde tried to dodge yet again, but it was in vain. The weapon pierced him again and he screamed loudly. Saki attacked ruthlessly, relentlessly. She was invisible, she could fly (thanks to the cloud) and she had thunderbolts. Nothing could stop her now.

Taziel heard Michael's cry and looked up. He froze in shock. He knew that Saki was assaulting Michael because he could feel the energy and see the turbulent clouds up in the air above them. The fact that Michael was being attacked by an unseen enemy further verified his assumption. It was he who taught Saki that spell. And she was using it offensively, although he had instructed her not too.

Taziel mentally broke the Type Zero Saki had cast on herself. The half-demon was now visible, but that didn't stop her in the least. But it did stop everyone else. Yuki, Tatsuha, Ryuichi, Crimson, Tohma, Nuri, Manchu, and Reiko were all staring at the two of them in amazement. Even Michael (who was primarily caught off-guard by being attacked by an invisible enemy) seemed to be frozen in shock and didn't even attempt to block any of Saki's attacks.

Saki dove in the air and slashed at Michael again with her thunderbolts. She wouldn't stop until she had knocked him unconscious. _Wait… why isn't he trying to block me?_ The half-demon landed back on her tiny cloud and paused for a moment. _It's way too quiet…_ She turned her head slightly to the left and saw that everyone was staring right at right. _Crap…_ _Taziel must've taken the spell away._ _I'm not invisible anymore!_

"So Saki… you wish to do battle?" Michael narrowed his red orbs at her dangerously. Saki chose not to respond; her glare was enough of an answer. "Very well… I will not hold back."

"Good!" Saki clutched her thunderbolts tightly and took a deep breath. Michael soared at her rapidly, the twin daggers in his hands headed straight for her throat. Saki blocked them both with her thunderbolts and kicked Michael in the stomach. It didn't seem to affect him in the least, as he growled and did the same to her. The force of his kick made her body fly back several feet, but her trusty cloud caught her. "Ow… you bastard!" His kick _hurt_.

"Language, Saki. Where did you learn such words?" Michael taunted her, flapping his great, black wing rapidly. Saki wasted no time, jumping in the air to meet him. It became a battle of blades and electricity… and there was no winner. They swiped and swiped at each other, using their legs to kick out when they could. Saki was at a slight disadvantage, because she had to depend on her cloud to fly, whereas Michael flew with his wing.

_Grrr… I know I'm stronger, I just know it!_ Saki stole a look up and saw all the storm clouds that had coated the air. _Jeez… how did I miss these?! I've got ammunition right up there and I wasn't even using it!_ The half-demon grinned maliciously as she parried Michael's swift offense. She landed back on her cloud.

Saki concentrated on the storm clouds above her head. She knew that just like Laura could control trees, she could control these clouds. They just itched to release lightning, she knew it. She dropped her purple thunderbolts and held her arms out in front of her, as if she was reaching towards Michael's body. The blonde, who was just about to attack her, stopped in confusion. He looked up and saw all the clouds. Michael's jaw dropped, he whirled around, and he began to fly away from Saki. Thunder crackled loudly, as if warning everyone what was to come.

_If __he's__ running… we should be, too._ Taziel mentally cursed. Damn Raijin. Damn him. "Everyone, to the barrier!" He took to the air rapidly. Tatsuha and Ryuichi followed suit, flying to the safety of Tohma's barrier.

Nuri peeked at the darkening clouds and teleported himself inside Tohma's barrier. He knew exactly what was going to happen. "Reiko!!" Crimson screamed out as more thunder boomed. Yuki bit his lip and zipped back to Tohma's barrier. Reiko flew down to Crimson and landed in his arms. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Of course I am… but what about Saki?" Reiko quickly glanced at Saki. Manchu glared down at the two of them, but he realized that he would need cover as well. He flew, practically plunged to the ground as far away from Saki as possible and erected a tiny barrier around himself.

"Believe me, she's fine." Crimson put Reiko on the ground. "But we won't if we get struck by lightning." And with that, the two dashed to the barrier.

Saki could feel it… there were two energies in the room, the energy that seethed from the clouds and the energy from the ground. One was rising up as the other was rising down. And she could control where they met. Saki didn't realize it, but her eyes were glowing. Her eyes locked onto Michael, who was still trying to fly away. Finally, she imagined the energy from the ground and energy from the clouds meeting for the first time, right where Michael was.

Lightning bolts began to strike the area in which Michael was flying. No matter how fast the boy could fly, the lightning was faster. His body was struck by lightning again and again and he began to fly slower. The lightning kept on hitting him with no sign of relenting. Saki stood on her cloud, willing the lightning to keep on hitting him. The lightning lit up the room and the thunder roared even louder.

_The light… it's everywhere…_ Michael was in pain. He couldn't escape the lightning; it was too fast. It burned horribly. He couldn't see more than a few feet away because the lightning struck practically every second… and it was so bright. He was going to lose to Saki, he was going to die. For some reason… dying by her hand didn't seem so bad, now that he had accepted it.

_Fool… you would give up so easily?_ The Darkness Demon inside Michael scoffed furiously. _You know that I have the power to defeat her. She is but a child, playing with powers she does not understand. I will not allow you to die, not while I am in this body._

_No!_ Michael shouted back. _Leave her alone!_

_Leave her alone?_ The Darkness Demon repeated incredulously. _There is no voice in her head spurring her on. She is attacking you of her own free will. This is no longer a battle; it is an execution. And I will not allow you to be executed. Whatever ties you have with this girl, you must break them. Deep down, you want to survive and you know it. And in order to survive, she must die._

_I can't… she's Saki. I can't do that to her._ Michael protested. _I won't let you!_

_Boy, you have no choice. My will is stronger than yours at this moment. You are dying right now; the Ukai child is killing you. I am unharmed. You chose not to utilize the powers I endowed you with._ The Darkness Demon chuckled inside Michael's head. _And now… you will come to darkness, whether you like it or not._

_No! No!!_ Michael mentally screamed, but it was useless. He could already feel the darkness creeping over his mind, taking away his free will, his reason, and what was left of his heart. Darkness, sheer darkness covered him, took him over. _I'm sorry… Saki. I can't fight it… I'm so sorry…_

Saki frowned as she saw that Michael wasn't dodging her attacks anymore. He was just hovering in the air, allowing the lightning to strike his body, over and over again. _What's he_- Saki mentally broke off as Michael rapidly disappeared and reappeared right in front of her. Something was different about him and her heart froze as black energy emitted from Michael's claws. It was everywhere and it wrapped around her body. The last thing she realized was that Michael's blood red eyes had turned black and they glared hatefully at her. Darkness overtook her.

* * *

**Oooh Chapter 35 is gonna be pretty awesome lol. The conclusion of the battle between Michael & Saki, the death toll, an important meeting, and even a lil history lesson.**

**P.s. If I get 20 reviews for this chapter, I'll put the new one up on Monday lol. Sound good?**


	46. Chapter 35: I Speak Your Name

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Sorry for the delay! Here it is!!! Thanks so much for sticking with this story, even though I don't update as regularly as I should. You guys are the best!!!! As always, if you find any mistakes, please let me know. (Don't have a beta lol). Two songs inspired this chapter: The End of Heartache by Killswitch Engage and Epiphany by Staind. Lol two very different songs.

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* * *

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_**CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:**_

_**I SPEAK YOUR NAME

* * *

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Saki groaned and slowly opened her eyes. She couldn't see anything and she instinctively screamed. She was completely surrounded by darkness. Oddly enough, she wasn't in pain. She couldn't feel anything, but she could move her limbs. She knew that wherever she was, she was trapped. She also wasn't an idiot; she couldn't defeat a Darkness Demon. And if Michael had called on it, then she had every right to call on Raijin. She was going to need all the help she could get… and honestly, what better help could there be than the help of a god?

Saki took a deep breath and spread her arms out. She recited the words perfectly, as if she had always known them: "I, Saki Ukai, invoke Raijin, the god of thunder and lightning, to come and beget justice upon this land!" The half-demon immediately stuck her hands up in the air, her fingertips reaching for greatness.

She heard a dark chuckle somewhere in the distance. "Calling me so soon, Saki? Very well, I shall heed your request, for your readiness pleases me." That was definitely Raijin's voice. Saki smiled in the darkness; she was no longer afraid. "Open your eyes, child, I have freed you from the dark."

Saki obeyed, opening her green eyes. She was standing on her trusty cloud. Michael was floating a few feet away from her, studying her intensely. His black, dull eyes scared her. Dark energy had surrounded his body; it was emitting from his very pores. His natural shadow had grown immensely, abnormally. It had taken on the shape of a ghastly creature that Saki could not even begin to describe.

Saki heard the rustle of chains and turned her head around. She almost fell off her cloud in shock. Her own shadow had been morphed, into what she believed to be an earthly form of Raijin. Her shadow was now white and it rose up behind her like a phantom. Raijin was tall, much taller than her. He was clothed in a hooded robe of white. He did not appear to have arms or legs. Although his form seemed ghostly and ephemeral, numerous black chains had been placed around his body below his neck, as if keeping him under control. Raijin kept his head bowed, so she could not see his face at all (if he even had one).

"Nightingale, demon of darkness." Raijin spoke for the first time, his voice rumbling through the decimated banquet room. "How long has it been since we have last battled? The Zenith Wars, I believe. And now, we have met once more, through these children. Let us resume our battle."

"So much has changed since you last saw this world. So much has changed, but yet, you are still needed. Perhaps… things have not changed at all." Michael answered Nightingale, but his voice was different. It was deeper and darker and it had a certain wisdom to it, a wisdom that came with age and experience. Nightingale, the Darkness Demon that had taken over Michael's mind, was now using the blonde's voice to communicate.

"No… I believe change has occurred. Things are not the same. But the time for conversation has long since past. I am a god and you are a mere demon. You will bow to me and you will bow to me here." Raijin declared simply, as if he was referring to the changing of the seasons.

Saki, in response to Raijin's words, instantly formed her lightning bolts. She had never felt so empowered in her life. She had a god to aid her in battle; there was no way she could lose. Nightingale decided to relinquish a bit of his host's consciousness. He only relieved the portion that pertained to anger and bloodlust. Saki watched as Michael's eyes turned red, but his demeanor didn't change otherwise and his shadow was still distorted. Nightingale was still there behind him, just as Raijin was there behind her. This was it. They were going to finish it now.

* * *

Everyone was deathly silent inside of Tohma's barrier. No one could believe what was happening right in front of their eyes. Nuri took a deep breath and turned to Tohma. "I'm going to send all my surviving daughters back." The phoenix uttered, breaking the silence. "The rest of you do not carry my blood, so the spell won't work on you. Reiko, you will stay here."

Crimson eyed Nuri suspiciously. _What the hell does he need her to stay here for? _He stole a suspicious look at Taziel, but the Angel didn't meet his eyes.

"Fons et origo!" Nuri proclaimed loudly, his eyes glowing brightly. ("**The source and origin!**") One by one, all of Nuri's surviving daughters disappeared from the barrier (including Laura, Helena, and the unconscious Ayaka), until Reiko was the only one left. Yuki inwardly sighed with relief. At least they didn't have to worry about protecting a myriad of defenseless and/or incapacitated females.

"We have to get Saki back!" Reiko was the first to speak, her red eyes shining fiercely. "Crimson-"

"What can we _possibly_ do?" Nuri shouted back at her, his golden hair whipping about wildly. "Those children are going to kill each other!"

"Nuri, let her be." Tohma sighed. "We have more things to worry about."

"Like what?" Ryuichi demanded instantly, his blue eyes narrowing.

"My barrier isn't strong enough to withstand a god's power." Tohma said flatly. "Either someone needs to create a stronger barrier… or we'll all be struck by _his_ lightning and killed." Crimson's jaw dropped open.

Tatsuha and Yuki looked at each other. They could inflame Tohma's barrier to strengthen it. But both of them knew that it would only last so long. Raijin was known for his ferocity in his attacks. He would probably destroy the banquet room and possibly, everyone inside. They might have been the Devil's children, but even _he_ was no god.

"There is only one person I know of whose barrier is near impossible to mar." Tohma let out a sigh. _And I hope that he comes in time…_ Everyone heard the crackle of thunder and looked up. The group watched as Saki and Michael soared at each other, blades and bolts at the ready. _It is truly a sad thing… when friends turn on each other._

* * *

Saki paused in her movements, looked up at the storm clouds (which had multiplied and intensified with Raijin's arrival), and smirked ominously. In a matter of seconds, countless bolts of lightning rained down from the clouds, all aimed at Michael. Saki let go of her own purple bolts and crossed her arms over her chest confidently. He could not escape her lightning, which had been enhanced by Raijin as well. She could feel that her element held more power, more accuracy.

Michael narrowed his red eyes at Saki. The darkness was his aid, his path to survival. It would not fail him now. Streams of dark energy erupted out of his body, all zipping towards Saki and Raijin. He continued to dodge the many lightning bolts aimed at him, blocking them with his twin daggers when he could. He could feel Nightingale behind him, releasing even more dark energy towards Saki.

Raijin snorted at the streams headed for him. Without moving a ghostly finger, the god sent out white lightning bolts to counter the dark energy headed for him and Saki. After all, he couldn't allow any harm to befall the child. He needed to end the battle quickly. "Enough of this… Saki, scream for me." Raijin inwardly smirked as he purposely channeled innumerable gigavolts of energy into her body.

Saki instantly let out a loud, ear-piercing shriek as she felt foreign energy forcefully enter her body. It was burning her, consuming her… but it was powerful. It was powerful and it was hers. As she screamed, she could feel the energy in the banquet room pulsing and growing. Despite the pain, she managed to open her eyes and look at Michael, who was flying straight at her. She allowed the two energies in the room to converse again, but they were only to meet where Michael was.

Michael's eyes widened as he felt the lightning around him grow brighter and stronger. It was striking faster and faster… and burning harder than ever. It was getting harder to evade it. He made a shield of darkness around himself, because he knew that if he didn't… the lightning would have killed him.

"That… is what you should have done the first time." Nightingale spoke from behind the blonde boy. "You know what to do when Raijin's lightning breaks through the barrier."

Saki waited calmly as her lightning continued to strike the black bubble that had encased her opponent. She knew that it would break eventually. Nothing could escape her wrath. Her powers were near invincible. The half-demon's purple locks swayed as the energy around her quivered in anticipation.

"Well done, Saki… use as much of my powers as you can." Raijin uttered ominously, the chains around his body rattling. The girl didn't even notice that his actions had severely burned her body. She couldn't feel the pain… yet. No, he had effectively numbed her entire body so that he could use it for his means.

"Increase the judgment, my child. Destroy everything!!" Raijin roared out, stealing a gleeful look at the feeble barrier below him. They would all die within moments of the barrier's demise. He couldn't wait for her to execute them. The girl would have no thoughts of her companions, because he had manipulated the girl's consciousness, just as Nightingale had influenced the boy's.

Saki nodded her head once and shut her eyes in concentration. Her energy was in the entire room; it waited for her to command it. Everything would be destroyed, just as Raijin had instructed. The ground's energy and the cloud's energy met once again, but she conducted their meetings through the entire banquet room. She didn't need to open her eyes to see the devastation she was causing to the realm. It would be vanquished. Hopefully her opponent's barrier would be crushed as well.

* * *

Yuki's face paled when he saw the torrent of lightning bolts fill the entire banquet room. The entire room was being demolished… and they would all probably die. Oddly enough, all he could think of was a pink-haired teenager. Maybe he'd finally get to see his pink puffball. Dying wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Aniki…" Tatsuha gulped, sensing his older brother's fearful acceptance. It was over. The downpour of white lightning was nearing them. It was relentless, unending, and unforgiving. _Am I really about to be killed by a six-year-old?_

"Many would consider it an honor to be killed by a god." As if hearing his thoughts, Taziel chose to speak up.

"Oh please…" Crimson rolled his eyes. Unlike the others, he had refused to stay still and instead, had been pacing about the entire barrier. "You say that shit now, but I'm sure the High Angels are going to be _so_ pleased that the Angel of Death has died. Ironic, isn't it? Why didn't they make you immortal?"

"Crimson." All Reiko did was utter his name, a nameless emotion on her tongue. And the redhead was instantly at her side, holding her hand. "I love you. And I know that wherever my spirit may go, you will always be with me."

"… I love you, too." Crimson blinked slowly. "But we're not going to die. I can promise you that." _I can feel it… I'm not afraid. Someone's coming! _

"Don't spend your last moments making empty promises." Nuri sniffed disapprovingly at the Angel of Vanity. "Especially to one of my-" The king of the phoenixes broke off as a bright, yellow ball materialized out of nowhere. The ball circled around Tohma rapidly, spinning faster and faster until the blinding light disappeared just as quickly as it came. A certain male stood next to Tohma, taking the place of the yellow ball.

Fujisaki Suguru immediately took in his surroundings. He saw a bunch of fatal, white lightning bolts headed straight for the barrier he was currently inside. He knew that the barrier was Tohma's and that it had already suffered irrevocable damage. Inwardly sighing, he closed his chocolate eyes and called upon Mother Nature once again. He knew that _She_ would heed his call.

* * *

Saki opened her eyes as felt new, exotic energy enter the room. Michael was still inside his black bubble, so she knew it wasn't him. The half-demon watched in surprise as a huge, transparent, mountain-shaped barrier appeared in the room. She watched as her lightning struck the new barrier repeatedly, but did absolutely no damage. Her eyes widened in shock. She whipped her head around, narrowing her eyes at Raijin.

"What is the meaning of this?" Saki demanded, pointing down at the translucent mountain that had come out of nowhere.

"Hmmm… it appears that Seguchi is quite the strategist." Raijin snorted. "I can only hope that his cousin was the last being he summoned to this particular party." _If that blonde thought far enough ahead to invite Fujisaki… then __he__ is most likely coming as well. I must finish this before that occurs._ "Ignore it, my child. Focus only on your opponent."

Saki turned around… and just in time. Michael was flying at her, daggers drawn and ready to rip out her insides. She formed her lightning bolts, jumped in the air, and effectively parried his assault. Michael was ruthlessly attacking her with the blades and it took all of her energy to block his every move. Her cloud followed her every move, ready to catch her if gravity threatened to take her. Michael growled wildly and beams of dark energy shot out at Saki.

Saki was about to command more lightning bolts to cancel out the dark energy, when something unexpected happened. The beams themselves turned into copies of Michael. She was now surrounded by about thirty clones of her former best friend. Saki looked back at Raijin, who nodded his hooded head at her.

Saki began fighting all the clones with her purple bolts. The clones weren't as strong as the real Michael; they were merely a distraction. The real one was mixed in with the clones… and Saki would find him. She commanded more lightning bolts to strike the area that she and the clones were in. The combination of the white bolts and the purple ones she wielded would deal with this nuisance. Finally, through the combined efforts, only one Michael remained, hovering in the sky triumphantly.

"Let us end this now." Nightingale hissed at Raijin.

"Yes… before it's too late." Raijin answered back just as vehemently. Michael hastily soared to the floor (or what was left of it) and landed steadily on his feet. Saki sniffed impetuously and her cloud began to lower her to the ground. She lightly stepped off it. As soon as her feet touched the ground, the cloud disappeared.

"Raijin… more energy, if you will." Saki spoke portentously. The girl was voluntarily asking him to wreck her body. The god couldn't resist. Raijin cackled madly and heeded her request. Saki's jaw dropped open in shock as light filled her entire body. It shone from her eyes, her nose, her mouth, even the palms of her hands. Her entire body was conducting electricity.

Saki formed her lightning bolts, but they were different this time. They were white instead of purple, but this difference didn't even bother her. Michael glared at her from afar, gathering his dark energy as well. Dark energy poured throughout his body, much like the electricity that raced through Saki's veins. In unison, Michael and Saki began running at each other, blades and bolts drawn. It was time to deliver the finishing blow.

Saki pumped her legs faster, conscious of Raijin floating behind her, willing to protect her if he must. Her now white eyes were locked onto Michael's body, which was getting closer and closer to her with each stride they both took. This was it. She was going to kill him. As she leaned both her arms back, about to swipe off his head, a myriad of memories barraged her brain, causing her to freeze in place.

* * *

Saki and Michael sat in the grass, staring up at the moon. "It's so pretty…" Michael turned to Saki, his dark shades glittering in the moonlight. Saki grinned brightly at her best friend, her green eyes twinkling just as happily as the stars above their heads.

"Yeah… I hope that you get to stay longer this time." Saki threw an arm over Michael's shoulders. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Saki!" Michael suddenly tackled Saki to the ground, embracing her tightly. "You're my best friend!"

"Well duh… that doesn't give you the right to break my spine!" Saki scowled, punching Michael in the head.

"Saki! Michael! Bedtime!" Noriko, Saki's mother called to them from a distance. Groaning, the children helped each other stand up, smiling at each other.

* * *

Michael ran as fast as he could through the gardens, the wind tousling his blonde locks. "Catch me if you can!!!" He sang out loudly. Saki chuckled to herself and waited ten full seconds before she broke out into a run. She would catch him of course. She always did.

"Michael, it's time to go." Judy Winchester chuckled at her child's antics. The blonde human calmly strolled through the gardens, a lit cigarette in her hands. She felt the quick stab of guilt as she viewed her child's face fall in disappointment.

"We have to go already?" Michael whined, a pout already forming on his lips. Saki was uncharacteristically silent, but her eyes had saddened.

"Looks like I won't get to catch you today…" Saki murmured to herself as Michael reluctantly took his Mother's hand.

* * *

"Yippee!" Michael squealed and danced around. "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy! Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy! I don't think you're happy enough! That's right! I'll teach you to be happy! I'll teach your grandmother to suck eggs! Now boys and girls, let's try it again!"

"That was awesome! You're a good dancer, too." Saki grabbed Michael's hands and they began dancing together. Shuichi burst out laughing at the sight of them boogieing like the two cute fools they were.

"Shuichi, dance with us!" Michael jumped on Shuichi's back gleefully and the pink-haired half-demon complied. Saki jumped right into Shuichi's arms, not wanting to miss out on any fun. Somehow, Shuichi still managed to dance. But it didn't take very long for all three of them to plop on the ground, laughing insanely. They rolled around and laughed, until they all realized they were hungry.

"Shuichi… to the kitchen!" Michael ordered, standing up. Saki shook her messy hair and leapt to her feet. "But first… we need to wash off." Smirking, Shuichi sprayed them with freezing cold water. "AYYAAAAAAA! Uncle does _not_ like cold WATAAAAAA!" Michael said in his horrid Chinese accent.

"'Uncle'? Who's that?" Shuichi looked very confused.

"He watches _too_ much television. What do you expect, he's a _human_!" Saki stuck her tongue out at Michael. "Now that we're clean, let's get some grub!" And with that, the trio set off for the mansion, which was in their sight as they spoke.

* * *

The two best friends were swimming around in a tiny, shallow pool that had been conjured just for them. "Pew! Pew! Pew!" Michael splashed at Saki, pretending that the jets of water aimed at her were actually bullets. Saki rolled her eyes and sent out one huge splash at Michael. It almost knocked him over. Unable to control her glee, the half-demon let out a bunch of chuckles.

"Not fair!" The blonde boy pouted, tears forming in his eyes. He began coughing and furiously wiped his eyes.

"Psh, that's what you get." Saki sniffed unapologetically. "Don't splash me again." Michael hiccupped, more tears falling from his cheeks to the water below them. Saki's green eyes widened.

"You're so mean…" Michael whispered, turning away from her.

"Michael, I'm sorry!!" Saki hugged Michael from behind. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry!"

"Really?" Michael turned his head around to look at her.

"Yup. You know, you should get used to me being better at you at stuff. I'm a half-demon." Saki snickered into Michael's ear.

"Well yea but you used your powers to your… oh crap I forgot the word! But you were wrong!" Michael broke away from Saki, a blush forming over his face.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I was wrong." Saki held her hands up in surrender.

"I guess I have to get used to you being stronger." Michael shrugged and sat down in the pool. Saki instantly joined him. "Cuz we're gonna get married, right?"

"You'd better believe it!" Saki clenched a fist proudly. "Took you long enough to say yes, you jerk!"

"Well… you'd better be nicer to me." Michael muttered darkly.

"Marriage doesn't mean I have to be nicer to you. Marriage means I have an excuse to be _meaner_ to you." Saki smirked cunningly, her green eyes flashing. "And I _so_ can't wait."

"Just so you know… you're getting a Ring Pop. Cuz I dunno where to find any diamond rings." Michael shrugged nonchalantly. Finally, unable to keep up their charade, the two children broke into wild giggles. They both smiled at each other and looked up at the cloudless sky.

"Hey Michael." Saki broke the calm silence that had fallen between them.

"Yeah?" Michael's eyes were still fixed on the beautiful sky above them.

"If no one else loves you as much as I do when we're older, can we get married?" Saki asked cautiously. She was being serious and the blonde could tell.

"Sure!" A grin crossed over Michael's features as the boy nodded happily.

* * *

Saki felt her body moving as her consciousness returned rapidly. What was she doing? Trying to kill her best friend? No, that wasn't right. That wasn't the right thing to do, not at all. She knew then that the desire to kill Michael had spawned from Raijin and not her. He had been making her do what he wanted. The half-demon stared as Michael's red eyes seemed to gain some clarity… and the same realization that she did.

Saki and Michael were an arm's length away from each other. Saki dropped her lightning bolts to the ground and at the same time, Michael let go of his twin blades. But neither of them stopped running. They ran right into each other arms… and embraced tightly.

"Michael! Michael!!" Saki wailed loudly as she squeezed her best friend. Her arms were wrapped securely around his neck and her head was buried in his neck.

"Saki… I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me." Michael held Saki as close to him as possible, but didn't tighten his hold, fearing that his claws would dig into her skin. He could feel tears, actual tears running down his face.

"I missed you so much!" Saki tried to stop crying, but she couldn't. "You really scared me!"

"You frightened me as well." Michael chuckled into her soft hair. Then he stiffened, as he felt danger approaching. He slowly, regretfully, turned his head to the side. Only to see Nightingale rushing at him furiously, growling warningly. Michael turned his head in the opposite direction and saw Raijin gliding over in their direction as fast as he could. The two entities fully planned on finishing their battle, despite the fact that their hosts did not want to fight anymore. They would be caught in the crossfire… and killed.

Saki gulped and gently pulled away from Michael, catching sight of the Darkness Demon headed straight for them. She let out a slight yelp and threw herself even closer to Michael, who held onto her obligingly. "At least we're together now." The purple-haired girl smiled into Michael's neck. The blonde ran a claw through her locks in response, and the half-demon closed her eyes. It was okay.

Neither child, nor Nightingale nor Raijin noticed as a bright, yellow ball emerged from the clouds. It spun around a few times and then vanished, revealing the eighth and final being Tohma had sent a battle token to: Lord Tetsuya Ukai. Manchu released his barrier, knowing that the battle was over now. He began slinking in the shadows towards Saki and Michael.

Lord Tetsuya narrowed his dark green eyes at the two beings soaring towards each other. He instantly rained down a heap of his infamous black lightning bolts at the Darkness Demon. His attack rendered the Darkness Demon useless, as it fell to the ground, sizzling and writhing in pain. Michael, in response, broke away from Saki and fell on the floor, the pain almost consuming his mind.

"Michael!!" Saki screamed out, kneeling on the ground by him. She didn't know what to do. How could she help him?

"Don't worry, little girl." Saki felt a chill go down her spine as Manchu surfaced out of the shadows and picked up Michael's unconscious body. "I'll take _good_ care of him." Saki leapt to her feet, screaming in protest.

Manchu swiftly made his way over to the fallen Darkness Demon and placed his free hand on its body. Saki ran as fast as she could towards them, but she was too late. Manchu winked at her… and then all three of them evaporated right in front of her eyes. Saki's jaw dropped. Michael was gone… again. Her eyes filled with tears again. She couldn't take any more of this… Saki crumpled to the floor, letting sheer oblivion hold onto her mind for the time being.

"RAIJIN!!!" Lord Tetsuya roared angrily, freezing the god in his tracks. "I order you _back_ to the banished world of emptiness from which you came!" He began descending to the ground.

"Tetsuya…" Raijin began persuasively, but then jumped in surprise as a few black lightning bolts struck the ground in his vicinity. "Fine, fine. But at least allow me to heal your daughter's body before I go. She's suffered numerous fourth degree burns to her entire body."

"If you ever… burn my daughter's body again… I will kill you." Lord Tetsuya's feet reached the ground and he began walking towards Saki. "Now leave." Raijin said nothing more and vanished into thin air. Lord Tetsuya finally reached his daughter's body and stared down at her. Her arms, legs, face, torso, and back had all been horridly scorched. He had wanted to protect her from this very fate. And he had failed. "Nuri, are you finished hiding behind that barrier?"

* * *

Saki stirred slowly. She could hear voices all around her. "I don't even understand how this happened… Tetsuya purposely forbid Saki from training for this very reason." Saki knew that voice. It was Nuri. But where was she?

"What do you mean?" Hiroshi gulped. And Saki could tell he felt guilty, but it was he and Shuichi who had first trained her. But why was training her a bad thing? And why couldn't Saki see anything?

"Raijin has no regard for anything, except the beings that can summon him. And even those beings suffer. He indirectly caused the annihilation of the Ukai clan. Tetsuya is the only known survivor of the catastrophe and if there are any other survivors, they have changed their identities. He did not want her to unlock her abilities, because that would automatically nominate her as a being qualified to summon Raijin. Who would want such a monster around a child?" Saki could hear the contempt in Nuri's voice.

"I had no… idea." Saki heard Crimson let out a sigh. "What's going to happen to her?" Saki slowly opened her eyes. She was lying in a white bed, with a bunch of tubes attached to her body. It appeared that she was in some sort of conference room. She could see everyone seated at a huge, wooden table. And yet she was lying in the same room, bedridden. It was weird and she wanted to scream, but she held it back. She didn't want to interrupt the conversation.

"If she continues to summon him, her body will suffer. Raijin will make sure she does not die, but she will suffer. The body can sustain only so much heat and although she will be partially resistant to it because of her lineage, she will ultimately burn to death." Lord Tetsuya stated, his voice laced with fury. "I will not let this happen. I plan to speak with Raijin as soon as she regains awareness."

"I hope so…" Tohma whispered, his soft voice bringing a small smile to Saki's face. He sounded like he actually cared about her.

"How did things even manage to escalate as far as they did?" Yuki's serious tone made Saki wince.

"Raijin was slowly poisoning her consciousness and free will. Her body became the means for him to bring about destruction." Nuri answered lividly.

"Who was Nightingale?" Reiko spoke slowly. "What of the Darkness Demon that was inside Michael?"

"He is a Darkness Demon that lived millennia ago. He fought during the Zenith Wars and was later imprisoned by Angels in the depths of Hell." Ryuichi replied instantly.

"Saiaku." Tatsuha interjected. "How did Manchu manage to get there?"

"I am the king of phoenixes. My body transcends normal rules. I can easily pass from realm to realm and create my own, if needed. The banquet room was one of them. I can also go wherever I please, whenever I please. If I wanted to, I could leave right now, go to Heaven, burn half their cities, and come back here. Manchu is my grandson. He inherited this ability from me." Nuri admitted. "I believe he is the only one of my grandchildren to obtain this particular trait of mine."

Taziel's eyes widened at this. "So… wherever Manchu's lair is, I assume it would be safe to say-" The Angel of Hell began.

"It would be just as impossible to find as the banquet room. Tell me, do any of you have any idea where it is? Would you be able to find it again? Without Tohma's help, of course." Nuri replied sinisterly. An uncomfortable silence filled the conference room.

"How many children have you lost?" A new voice questioned. The voice was stern, but unfamiliar to Saki.

"Half my daughters are dead." Nuri spat out, obviously not liking the new topic. "Would you like an exact amount, _boy_?"

"Enough… there are other matters to attend to." Lord Tetsuya began grimly. "Firstly, Tohma, you and Noriko are to be released indefinitely from prison. Your actions saved the phoenixes… and my daughter as well. You will be officially promoted to the rank of Demon Lord. Crimson and Reiko, you will continue to oversee Saki's training. Now that she has learned to summon Raijin, she must strengthen her _own_ abilities in order to prevent Raijin from taking over her mind again.

"Taziel, I suggest you go back to Heaven and report to the High Angels all you have learned during this meeting. Yuki, Tatsuha, and Ryuichi… report to Lord Lucifer. Nuri, you and I will travel through the realms and personally see to the recovery of your surviving daughters. Gather as many of your sons as you can and meet me outside the manor in twenty-four hours. Suguru, you will help us as well." Lord Tetsuya finished giving out his orders. "This meeting has been adjourned. You may all depart." Saki winced again as everyone backed up and out of their chairs, a loud screeching noise filling the room. It was strangely silent in the large room.

Lord Tetsuya walked over to the white bed where Saki lay. He stood over her, his green eyes locked with hers. "I am glad that you have recovered." The judge said stiffly to his daughter. Saki blushed and turned her head away. "Saki-"

"Don't!" Saki shouted out, tears filling her eyes. "Why didn't you just _tell_ me? You made me believe that you didn't want me! I thought you-"

"There are those… that would love nothing more to see the Ukai clan completely obliterated. You are a child, therefore you hold the keys to the future. Some beings… do not wish for our cursed clan to _have_ a future, for they know of our ties to Raijin. I have informed Tohma of this and he has agreed to become your official bodyguard as long as time permits.

"In order for me to protect you, I had to pretend as if I did not care about you at all. If I showed an iota of love towards you, your life would be in danger. You would have been targeted by numerous assassins from the time you were born. Unfortunately, because many of Nuri's daughters witnessed you summoning Raijin, word will spread. You probably have a bounty on your head already." Lord Tetsuya explained calmly.

"Oh." Saki replied dumbly, more tears falling from her eyes. "This is just wonderful."

"The life of an Ukai is never easy." Lord Tetsuya leaned over and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. "But just know… that I have always loved you. And I'm extremely proud of all you accomplished during the battle, especially without my guidance."

"Are you going to train me now?" Saki smiled hopefully. She was blushing from her father's praise. And it was all she had ever wanted. Now that she finally had it, she couldn't help but ask for more.

"No, I believe you have flourished underneath Crimson's guidance." Lord Tetsuya answered, shaking his head.

"But… I want to spend more time with you." Saki grumbled unhappily.

"I suppose… I could teach you to cook when you're not training. Would you like that?" Lord Tetsuya glanced down at her hesitantly.

"Duh, of course!" A grin spread over her features. "Let's get started!" **

* * *

And that, ladies and gentleman, is the end of that. Chapter 36 will bring us back to Shuichi, Tiril, Suzu, and Apollyon. How is Tiril, the newly one-winged Fallen Angel recovering? Will Shuichi ever figure out who's been invading his dreams? I can't say for certain when I will update this fic, but I would like to do so before January 18th. Look for it!!! :)  
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* * *


	47. Chapter 36: 3 Heads Are Better Than 1

****

Hey! So here's Chapter 36. I hope you all enjoy it. It contains some self-reflection (courtesy of Binary Sunset from Star Wars) and an intense battle (courtesy of By Myself by Linkin Park). I'd also like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter! You guys made me so happy!!! As always, if you catch a mistake, let me know please!

* * *

_**CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX:**_

_**THREE HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE**_

* * *

Shuichi sighed as he stared up into the desert sky. It was silent and dark and it scared him somewhat. As usual, he found himself thinking of Yuki again. One part of his brain told him he was an idiot for thinking of the blonde; that Yuki didn't care about him, that he never did, and he never would. And yet, the other part of his brain told him to keep holding on, to keep hoping, keep dreaming, because there was something, there was something inexplicable between them.

He didn't know where the source of his hope came from, but something in his brain just told him that they were supposed to be together. And yet, they weren't. Shuichi was stuck in Hell, being tested by Angels (and probably failing horribly), stalked by Horobosu, and ignored by Tiril. Not that Shuichi blamed the Fallen, if Shuichi had only _listened_ to Tiril's cry or heeded the warnings given to him in his dreams, maybe Tiril would still have both his wings.

_All that training… and all it did was make me overconfident_. Shuichi admitted to himself sadly. _I was supposed to be stronger, but instead I'm weaker…_ The half-demon angrily sat up, running his fingers through his pink hair. _Dammit!_

Shuichi stole a look at Suzu, who was passed out and snoring lightly, holding a still Tiril in her arms. Ever since he lost his wing, Tiril had taken to sleeping near Suzu. The poor boy had been plagued with nightmares, nightmares that were probably meant for Shuichi instead. And Suzu's migraines had gotten significantly worse lately. They had no idea what was causing them. Sometimes they were so bad that Suzu couldn't even open her eyes!

Shuichi knew somehow that his friends were being punished because of him. And it was a steady, chronic punishment and it would continue to wear them both down. Horobosu was behind this. He had to be and Shuichi wanted to stop him, needed to stop him from hurting his friends. But what could he do?

Shuichi literally hadn't slept in two days, because when he did allow himself to fall asleep, his own unconsciousness frightened him half to death. He kept hearing Tiril's screams in his head, could see Apollyon's disapproving stare, could feel the pain coursing through Suzu's veins as she clutched her head in agony. Horobosu wasn't directly punishing him, but his own mind took care of that. He had made himself into an insomniac. How fucking ironic.

The teen sighed. He was tired, so tired of this. Tired of living in fear, tired of being weak, tired of the desperation that had clasped onto his heart… he wanted to get rid of it! The only being that could possibly help him was the same one that had warned him, that strange, but beautiful woman, that familiar entity that had the ability to enter his dreams.

"I know you're out there… watching me." Shuichi stood up, quickly looking at Apollyon. The Angel was fast asleep. The pink-haired boy ran out of the barrier and into the coldness of the desert. The harsh wind whipped at his face, spraying it with coarse sand. "You can hear me, I know you can! Tell me what I must do! I need your, I need your help! I'll do anything… anything, because I don't want my friends to suffer anymore!" He shouted his words to the wind and his heart sank.

What was he doing? Clearly, there was no one around him. He was talking to something that wasn't even there. _I've really lost it…_ Shuichi's chin dropped to his chest and his fists fell at his sides. _But I've got nothing else to lose… literally. Aw, what the heck? _So Shuichi threw all rational thought aside, and began speaking the truth, talking out loud to the cold, dark desert before him.

"I know that you said not to run from Horobosu. And I thought that meant to fight him and defeat him. But I was wrong… you also told me I needed to accept my punishment. And I get it. I killed Ramechi. I took another life. I was wrong and I never took responsibility for my actions.

"I just pushed my remorse aside because I wanted to find Apollyon. And although what Ramechi did was wrong, he didn't deserve to die. I had no right to kill him. I just could have incapacitated him and left. But I went too far, I got too angry and I couldn't stop. I lost control… and I can't promise it won't happen again. But I can promise I'll try my best to _never_ get into that state of mind again.

"Horobosu is the beast of the mind that you were referring to. I figured that much out a while ago. And I'm running from the nightmares he threatened to give me. I'm running so much that now he's given them to Tiril instead. I'm running so much that I'm giving myself nightmares, hoping that'll keep him out of my head. I'm running so much that Suzu has to cope with those horrible headaches. And she pretends sometimes that they don't hurt that much, but I know that they do. And I've felt nothing but guilt for the past ten days.

"I don't want to run anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm not afraid. I'm terrified. The coward in me wants to ride out the storm and just wait for it to pass, but I can't do this. I just can't! Not while the people I care about are hurting because of me! I know you can help me, I know you can! So please, please help me! Horobosu might have wronged you and he's wronged me too. Together, maybe we can defeat him. But I know that I can't do it alone. I know that I need you.

"I need you… Persephone." Shuichi spoke her name for the first time. Yes, it made sense. She had the same kind eyes as Tatsuha and the same perceptive face as Yuki. Her hair color was a swirl of gold and brown and the golden ringlets were the exact same color as Yuki's hair. It was all genetics, really, and the fact that it had taken him this long to realize it made him feel like an idiot.

Even during their first encounter, Horobosu had said this after admitting he had caused her demise: "_Oh, her soul is no doubt drifting about here somewhere. She's probably still ranting on and on in ridiculous sentences that are only significant to her_." It all made sense now. Persephone, the Jewel of Hell, had been the voice in his head all along. He thought back to some of the other clues she had subtly told him in the past, while he had slept:

"_What is my purpose? I wait for the day when I realize why I am here and who I am here for. Everyone has a soul mate, the one fate chooses. Where is mine? If I was parted from the one I love the most… have I not yet found my soul mate? Was I meant to die, to be separated from the most wonderful being I have ever known? Was I deceived? Is he not… my soul mate?_

"_I have been caught in despair for so long; I have forgotten who I used to be. I was a woman, I was a friend, I was a wife, I was a mother. I was many things… but I was never miserable. When did I become so cheerless? When I lost my purpose? But how… how could I have lost my purpose? Wasn't my purpose about being, about existing for all of them? Was that not my true purpose? If it was my true purpose, why was it snatched away from me?_

"_My life was not perfect, my life was not paradise. I experienced joys and hardships equally. So why was it all taken away from me? Who despised me so? Who thought I deserved to suffer, who thought my family deserved to suffer? I know now, that I was the glue that held my family together. Or perhaps I was a key link in the once durable chain. A family is made up of bonds, both strong and weak. A family needs both to survive. My family needs me, but… I am not there._

"_You cannot defeat the beast of the mind, so long as you run away from it." The woman repeated firmly. She then looked up into the sky. "I was alone when the beast ravaged me. Now, I am nothing. Now, I have nothing. But you… you have heard my cries when no one else could. Embrace the punishment, for you have sinned. At that moment, I will be with you._

"_Do you know who I am?" _

"Persephone…" Shuichi spoke her name again, he whispered it. Thinking back to her particular words increased his certainty. Clearly, he wasn't meant to be a detective, seeing as he could barely solve _this_ mystery.

"You have called me, so I am here." Shuichi's head shot up and his jaw dropped. Yes, there she was, floating above him, the woman from his dreams, Persephone, Yuki's dead mother. Her long hair flowed and twisted like a curtain in the wind. It was dark, so he couldn't really see her, but he knew that it was her all the same. He could never forget her distinct voice. "What is it that you wish?"

"I need your help. I need to defeat Horobosu… but I know I'm not strong enough to do it on my own." Shuichi let out a sigh. "My friends… they're hurt because of me. Please, I need your help!"

"I will help you… but not because you asked me to. Someone already asked me to aid you." Persephone told him. She could sense his confusion, so she decided for once to be straight-forward instead of cryptic. The boy had been through enough. She decided she would take better care of him until her job was done.

"Your Mother and I are very similar. If we had been alive at the same time, we could have been relatives. I suppose we are like two sides of the same coin or rather, for more accurate comparative purposes, I am the coyote and she is the wolf. There is a connection between us because of our similarities and when she was sent to Hell, I could immediately sense her. I asked her to look after my husband and gave her all the knowledge she would need in order to successfully help him.

"Seki never asked me for anything, but when she found out that you were in Hell, she told me to help you. Of course, my husband's mentality has improved since her arrival, so I had no problem heeding her request. I have been watching over you, just as I have watched over Mareo, Yuki, Mika, and Tatsuha. Now that you have discovered my identity, we can execute the plan that I formulated." Persephone stopped talking, waiting for Shuichi to process what he heard.

"My Mom sent you?!?" Shuichi shouted out, purple eyes widened in disbelief. "She… she…" Then his mind quickly took in another bit of information. "You're watching Yuki? How is he? What's he doing?"

"A few days ago, there was an attack on Nuri and all of his daughters. Both my sons traveled to the battle and helped the phoenixes. Neither of my sons was harmed during the battle. I believe the only individuals with serious injuries were Saki Ukai and Michael Winchester." Persephone recounted carefully, noticing how Shuichi's aura seemed to calm down after hearing that Yuki was safe.

"What????" Shuichi screeched out, completely forgetting about Yuki. "What happened to them?" And Persephone told Shuichi everything she knew about the battle that she had heard during the meeting after the fact. She couldn't watch her sons while they were in an unknown realm, such as the banquet room Nuri had created. But as soon as she felt them arrive back in the Demon Realm, she had turned her attention to them.

Shuichi was shocked. To think that Saki and Michael had almost killed each other was horrifying. To think that because of him and Hiro, Saki could possibly burn to death was even more horrifying. But the fact that Tohma was now her bodyguard was more confusing than horrifying. Clearly, he was missing a lot.

"This is exactly why… I need to be back there." Shuichi muttered to himself, his hands becoming fists again. "I could have helped! I could have-"

"You are here for a reason. If you were currently in the Demon Realm, you would not have met Suzu. If you had not met Suzu, you would not know how to summon. If you did not know how to summon, my plan to kill Horobosu would not work. All pieces of a puzzle, no matter how scattered about, unrelated, and diverse they may seem, eventually form into one, interconnected, **whole** picture." Persephone gently interrupted the distraught boy. "You will return back to your home… that I can promise you."

"Okay… what's your plan?" Shuichi had to admit, she made sense. She made him feel a lot better about the situation. _The sooner I defeat Horobosu, the faster I can get back up there to Crimson and Ryuichi and Yuki and Saki and Reiko and Tatsuha._ The teen missed them badly, especially Yuki.

"Oh no, I will not reveal my plan to you just yet. In order for it to have a one-hundred percent chance of success, I must assess your strength first." Persephone chuckled mysteriously and Shuichi felt a chill go down his spine.

"Another test?" Shuichi let out a whine, pouting a bit. Persephone's form vanished right in front of his eyes, but not before letting out one last chuckle. Shuichi gaped as a huge black hole appeared out of nowhere, cold wind blasting from it. It stung his face and instinctively, the half-demon covered his eyes.

He knew that Persephone was taking him somewhere and turned his head backwards to the barrier. Suzu was sitting up, holding a sleeping Tiril. She was watching him intently, her purple eye glowing slightly. Shuichi lifted his hand in a wave and she gave him a thumbs-up in response. Shuichi grinned widely and whirled back around. The black hole was right in front of him… and this time the wind sucked him right inside the darkness. He let out a yelp of surprise.

Shuichi could feel himself falling and falling. Finally, all was still and he cautiously opened his eyes. He was in that same field again, the sunny field where he had first laid eyes on Persephone. The boy was also alone, for now. He faintly heard a distant bird chirping. Shuichi stood in the grass gripping something tightly with his hands. Raising an eyebrow, Shuichi looked down at his hands and gasped.

He was holding the Blade of Lamentations, the blade that had once lacerated his flesh. It would probably end up the only thing keeping him alive. (The teen had a feeling that Persephone's test would not be easy to pass.) The mighty sword had changed from his greatest adversary to his trusted savior.

Shuichi thought back to when he had first encountered the blade. Manchu had attacked him with it and Michael was there. The shade-wearing boy had his faithful water guns with him and it was the water in those guns that had ultimately caused Manchu's demise. Back then, things were much simpler and brighter.

His second meeting with the malicious blade had not been all that pleasant. Disturbing images of rape and torture instantly filled his mind. He had almost died then. If Crimson hadn't taken over, he would have been dead. The third reunion was just as traumatic; for it had been the day that he had lost Michael to Manchu. The sword had taken more of his blood that day. But it had also inadvertently brought him to his Mother, which had been one of the happiest moments of his life. Even though he had to almost die (again) in order to see her.

On that fatal day, Manchu had somehow possessed Michael and mentioned something about how **they** had taken his sword, so he would take Michael. And so, here he was, holding Manchu's weapon. But had it been meant for him all along? Was the Blade of Lamentations his from the beginning? Was Shuichi destined to have it? But that would inevitably mean that Michael was doomed to be abducted by Manchu and made into some sort of monster.

Shuichi didn't like the sound of that. It made him sad, to think that a cute boy such as Michael had such a dark, painful future. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. But he knew that if he was strong enough, he could save Michael. And maybe, maybe that was what this test was all about. He had to be strong, not to prove some point to his opponents, not to kill them, but in order to protect those he loved.

"Yes… I'll do it. I'll pass whatever test is thrown at me!" Shuichi held the Blade of Lamentations up in the air. The mysterious hieroglyphics that had been engraved on the middle of the blade shone in response to his words. The eerie eye on the black, jagged hilt looked down at him, something akin to pride apparent in its uncanny stare.

"Prove yourself." Her voice came out of nowhere. Persephone's beautiful, but haunting voice, resonated throughout the field. She was there, in all her horrific beauty. Her graceful form hovered above him ominously. The once blue sky began to darken and Shuichi unconsciously shivered, bringing his weapon closer to him.

The Jewel of Hell held her left hand up, her delicate fingers fluttering in the air. A golden necklace appeared in the air before her; a tiny, white fang and a sparkling, silver ring hung from it. "Nothing is without transgression. Come to me, Cerberus, creature of infinite darkness, Guardian of Hell. Come to me, Cerberus." The fang detached itself from the necklace, zipped up into the skies, exploded into dust, and littered the field below with white particles.

Shuichi took a deep breath, calming himself. This was _definitely_ not going to be easy. The legendary three-headed dog, Cerberus materialized into the field. The demonic canine had fur as dark as night itself and claws as sharp as any blade. Its long tail could probably crush buildings effortlessly. Upon noticing Shuichi, one of the heads of Cerberus howled loudly; one merely stared, saliva dripping from its mouth; and the last bared its pointed fangs at the boy menacingly.

"If you want my help… prove yourself." Persephone's long hair flowed with the breeze of battle. It was time. Cerberus knew it. All three heads were completely still, fixated on Shuichi's face. Six red eyes glared at him. The beast leapt at Shuichi, paws ready to rip him to shreds. The dog was as big as a freaking _house_!

Shuichi rapidly summoned his icy disk and dodged the monster's swipes. He flew up and above their heads. Cerberus looked up at him; all three mouths open and willing to swallow him whole. One tongue lashed out at him and Shuichi mentally screamed, but reacted and hacked at it with his blade.

Cerberus jumped up eagerly, teeth gnashing about. Shuichi tried to fly as fast as he could, but the dog was huge and oddly enough, it moved faster than he could. He was shocked. One of the dog's heads smacked the bottom of his icy disk and Shuichi was thrown off it. Luckily, the disk swooped about and caught him in the air. The half-demon flew away from Cerberus as fast as he could. He needed to form a plan and needed to do it quickly. But the odds weren't exactly stacked in his favor. Shuichi heard a hissing noise and stiffened, almost too afraid to turn around.

Three heads, three brains, three pairs of eyes… one body. It was him against a three-headed, ancient, demonic beast… did he mention that it had three heads? _Nothing in my life is ever easy…_ Shuichi inwardly sighed as he heard the hissing noise again and slowly turned his head around. His eyes instantly widened and he let out a shriek. Cerberus was literally right behind him.

Cerberus opened all three of its heads and energy began to gather at the tips of three very disgusting tongues. The left head had orange and yellow energy forming, the right head had black and purple energy forming, and the middle head had orange, yellow, black, and purple energy forming in front of it. The stench rising from their mouths smelled smoldering, repulsive, and corrosive. Shuichi rose higher in the sky, unsure of what to do.

But the demon sure knew what to do. Shuichi watched in shock as three gigantic balls of energy shot out at him. The orange and yellow one was a fireball, the black and purple one was pure poison in a liquid form (which was good for him), and the third one was an amalgamation of the first two: a toxic fireball.

The boy quickly reacted and froze all three balls of energy with ease. All three fell to the ground, useless for the time being. Cerberus' middle head growled at him and the left head began releasing fireballs from its mouth, one after another. Shuichi dodged and froze them all as best he could. The right head started to shoot out poison at the same rate and ferocity as the left head. Shuichi increased his focus and kept on freezing and/or dodging the perilous balls of energy headed his way.

Shuichi looked down, smirking slightly. The field was becoming scattered with balls of ice, balls of ice that he could control and use against Cerberus. He would only need a few more and then he would begin his assault. But the fact that the middle head wasn't attacking him was quite unnerving. Shuichi gulped and his grip tightened on his blade. It was time.

Shuichi let out a scream and zipped right at Cerberus, aboard his icy disk. At the same time, all of the frozen balls of energy ascended in the air, completely surrounding the beast. Shuichi held the Blade of Lamentations over his head and braced himself. The balls of ice started to pelt Cerberus simultaneously. The dog roared angrily, distracted.

As soon as he was close enough, Shuichi jumped off his icy disk, his weapon still above his head. Letting out another cry, the teen swung his mighty sword down, slicing the forehead of Cerberus' middle head open. Blood instantly spurted out of the dog's new wound, in addition to the bruises it was receiving all over its body from the rock hard ice. The icy disk caught Shuichi as soon as he began to fall. Shuichi whipped his sword in the air, causing some of Cerberus' blood to fly off of it. The balls of ice continued to bombard the dog demon, to its dismay.

Cerberus howled in pain again and all six of its red eyes glowered at Shuichi. Then, the dog literally dove straight at Shuichi. Its shadow flew over Shuichi's body and he shuddered unavoidably, surprised at the dog's proximity. Then Cerberus rapidly twirled around and smacked Shuichi with its huge, hard tail. Shuichi let out a painful scream as his body went flying in the air. His icy disk luckily caught him, but it did nothing to reduce his pain. All the balls of ice fell to the ground.

_Shit… and that was just its tail!_ Shuichi coughed up blood and quickly spat it out. He was pretty sure some of his bones had almost broken just from the sheer force of the demon's attack. Cerberus dashed at Shuichi again, as if he was a piece of raw meat to be consumed. He knew that no matter how high he flew, the beast could jump up just as high. That was a problem.

Shuichi began flying towards Cerberus, prepared to meet the beast halfway. _Their mouths are big enough to swallow me whole, so I need to stay away from them. Beheading them should work, though. I should try for the middle head first._ The pink-haired boy stole a quick look at Persephone. She was still floating about, gazing at him conscientiously, completely unaffected by the battle before her.

Without warning, ten tornadoes appeared, completely surrounding him. Shuichi halted his icy disk and gaped. The tornadoes were completely made of fire, and were closing in on him at an alarming rate. Shuichi gulped, closed his eyes, and imagined all the water particles around him, begging to be used. He would save the balls of ice for later, seeing as there was nothing stopping him from making his own water… yet. He heard Cerberus nearing him and knew he would have to do this quickly. Shuichi rapidly formed an immense, four-sided wall of water around him and quickly began to expand his wall, until it met with the ten tornadoes.

Shuichi heard the ground shake as Cerberus leapt up in the air, high above his water wall and the tornadoes it had sent at him. His water was beginning to overcome each and every tornado. _I didn't make a fifth side to cover me!! _Shuichi looked up and began forming water over his head, but it was too late.

A myriad of poisonous fireballs were zooming right at him. Shuichi made a noise of surprise and quickly formed a tiny, cursory water barrier around himself. He flew straight through his water wall and a diminishing tornado. _The middle head was storing up its energy all this time! It has to be the smartest one. I need to take it out first! _He looked over his shoulder, only to see that the poisonous fireballs were _following_ him. Then again, Cerberus was, too.

By this time, Shuichi's water had doused all the tornadoes. Shuichi smirked and commanded his huge water wall to follow and crash down on Cerberus. That would certainly slow the beast down. And give him time to deal with his current threat. The wall of water swiftly trailed Cerberus, forming into a huge wave that was gaining more and more altitude. The nanosecond Cerberus turned around, the wave crashed down on it, crushing the beast to the ground.

Shuichi let out a whoop of joy and made his icy disk fly faster, increasing the distance between him and the demon. Once he felt he was relatively safe, the teen broke his own barrier and twirled around, facing the oncoming menace. The water that had made up his barrier hovered in front of him. The poisonous fireballs were still headed right at him. Shuichi sent out his water at the fireballs, decreasing the temperature of the molecules rapidly as they neared them. He successfully froze all the fireballs and carefully lowered them all to the grass below.

_Should I make copies of myself?_ Shuichi pondered quickly as he began flying at Cerberus, who was still lying on the ground. _No, that never seems to end well. I'll use it as a last resort. _As the half-demon neared the three-headed dog, he pointed the Blade of Lamentations high in the air, right at the neck of the middle head. Shuichi jumped in the air, all set to cut off its head while it was down, when the unthinkable happen. Cerberus jumped to its feet abruptly, revealing its ruse. Suddenly, the desired neck was out of reach and Shuichi found himself facing three very angry heads. A sharp paw the size of a car hit him in the back, nails digging in his back.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!" Shuichi screamed out in pain as Cerberus shook its paw as if it was shooing away a bug. His body went flying in the air as a consequence, Cerberus' nails finally dislodged from his back. He plummeted to the ground and tumbled, too incoherent to remember his icy disk.

Shuichi's body finally stopped rolling around and he desperately tried to sit up. His back was bleeding heavily and the impact of crashing on the ground made his entire body ache. The half-demon turned his head slowly and noticed that somehow, the Blade of Lamentations had landed just a few feet away from him.

Suddenly, the very earth beneath him began shaking and Shuichi knew that Cerberus was dashing at him. _It hurts to move…_ The boy tried to calm the warning sirens in his head. Any more hits like that and he was probably done. And all the damn dog did was pierce his back with a paw. It barely took any effort from the demon and yet, it had caused so much damage to Shuichi. The demon was clearly using its size to its advantage. But what did Shuichi have that Cerberus didn't? What could the teen use to his advantage?

Shuichi's eyes widened. That beast had nothing to lose. It wasn't being tested, _he_ was. The whole point of this test was to prove himself to Persephone… and that meant that he could _NOT _lose. His friends' lives may be depending on it! Wincing slightly, Shuichi jumped up and all but clambered towards his sword, snatching it off the ground. He straightened up, standing to his full height, ready to face Cerberus with all he had.

The three-headed dog demon galloped at him, sending out numerous balls of energy once more, never slowing down. "I'm not going to lose to you! I _won't_ lose to you!!!" Shuichi shouted out, clutching the Blade of Lamentations close to him. He ran at Cerberus, forgetting to summon his icy disk.

_Screw it… I'll jump._ Shuichi grit his teeth and continued to race at Cerberus. He stopped suddenly, bent his knees, and shot up into the air, facing the beast and the energy balls. Shuichi froze all of them that were in his way and sent out the ice balls at Cerberus. Cerberus' left head swooped down towards him, teeth gnashing about. The half-demon slashed at its teeth with his blade and grinned as some of its teeth fell right out of its mouth. He also managed to cut its tongue in the process.

Shuichi could feel himself falling, so he reached out to the closest thing to him: one of Cerberus' whiskers. He gripped it, hard, and managed to swing himself up in the air. The boy landed on the nose of the left head and stared into red eyes triumphantly. He jumped up in the air towards its left eye and stabbed his blade right in the middle of the eye, withdrawing it just as quickly. The middle head and the right head turned and looked down at him menacingly.

The left head let out a howl of pain and instinctively threw its head back, causing Shuichi to fly up in the air once again. Luckily, he was up near the left head's ear and grasped onto the tip of it. The left head closed its left eye and elevated its head so that it was at the same level as the other two. The right head immediately lifted its head higher and moved it closer to the left head, looking for Shuichi. The middle head was strangely still and Shuichi knew that it was plotting something. He was going to have to be quick.

As soon as the right head saw Shuichi, it let out a furious yowl and lowered its head towards him, intending to eat Shuichi. Shuichi braced himself as he observed the right head nearing him and waited until the opportune moment. Right as the right head was opening its mouth, prepared to devour him, Shuichi burst into a sprint, hurrying down the left head's neck and passing down its shoulder. The right head ended up chomping down on the left head's ear instead.

The left head growled crossly and rammed the right head with its own. The two heads began to snarl ferociously at each other. Shuichi cautiously turned around, sensing that he was no longer their prime concern. There was disunity among them now. He let out a quick breath of relief; he had time to formulate another plan. Out of the blue, the middle head let out a fierce bark and the two heads ceased their quarrelling.

Shuichi froze as the left head and the right head simultaneously turned around and stared straight at him. _Crap…_ Shuichi ran down to where all three necks converged into one bold, dark back. Cerberus began jumping up and down and Shuichi found himself tumbling down the demon's back instead of running. A wicked thought entered his head and he wasted no time in executing it. Shuichi stabbed Cerberus in the back and dragged his blade along as he fell.

Cerberus roared in pain and stopped jumping. Shuichi immediately stood up, snatching the sword up out of the beast's lower back. Cerberus' long, lethal tail was a few feet ahead of him and Shuichi began sprinting at it, eager to cut the damn thing off. Cerberus must've predicted his intentions, though. The dog whirled around so quickly that Shuichi was thrown off its back, falling in the air, the three heads looming above him. His eyes widened in shock; it had happened so fast.

The middle head of Cerberus released a whole bunch of poisonous fireballs… and this time, Shuichi could do nothing to defend himself. He was too close to Cerberus and the middle head was too fast. He screamed out in pain as the multi-colored balls of energy began burning him. His body was bombarded with painful sensations of burning and boiling; he could feel the poison seeping into his open wounds and coursing through his system.

Shuichi's body plopped to the ground. The Blade of Lamentations clattered to the ground next to him. _I can't do this on my own… I need help…_ Shuichi thought to himself weakly as he tried to remove the poison from his body. The toxins made his movements sluggish and his mind foggy. He could feel his body burning and yet, he couldn't move. He could only scream out as he felt the fire assaulting his skin.

_No… I have to do this on my own. I'm being tested… me… by myself._ The half-demon coughed up more blood and quivered uncontrollably. _I can't lose… I can't lose here… but I'm all alone. How can I defeat this beast by myself?_ He didn't even have enough strength to open his eyes.

"You are not alone, Shindou-kun." A calm voice resonated through his skull.

"Yeah, ya wimp; you've got us!" Another voice, considerably angrier, also rang in Shuichi's head. Shuichi froze, his eyes widened and his mind temporarily stunned. The voices in his head were both _his_ voices… but they were different somehow. What the hell was going on?

"Open your eyes, Shindou-kun." The first voice spoke up again. Shuichi obeyed and opened his purple orbs. Again, he was astonished. He wasn't in the looming, unending field anymore. He was lying on a wooden surface of some kind. Shuichi looked down at his body and to his surprise, his body was completely unharmed. He looked up and his jaw dropped open.

Two hands were outstretched to him… two different, but similar hands. Shuichi studied the beings in front of him. They were both him, but not him. The one to his left was wearing the same outfit that he had worn when he was Ramechi's date at the party. The being to his right was wearing the same outfit he had worn to his Father's banquet. In both instances, he had been cross-dressing.

Shuichi gaped at the beings in shock. They all had pink hair, purple eyes, the same skin tone, same height, same weight, etc. But the one on the left had fangs for teeth and claws for fingernails. It frightened Shuichi… and reminded him of the monster he became when he let his past consume him. He was literally facing his true inner demon. The being on the right did not distress him as much, seeing as his face was considerably calmer.

"The name's Ichigo. Nice to meet you… again, I guess." Ichigo narrowed his purple eyes at Shuichi. "The doll's name is Sakura."

"We are here to help you, Shindou-kun." Sakura, the more passive of the two smiled gently. "You can trust us." Shuichi nodded his head slightly and reached out with both of his hands. The moment his hands connected with Ichigo's and Sakura's, a bright light filled the area. Shuichi closed his eyes again, it was too bright for him.

Shuichi felt the light leave his eyelids and opened them. He wasn't in that weird realm anymore; he was back in Persephone's field. But something was different; Shuichi felt different. The half-demon turned his head to the right and found Sakura staring right at him. Grinning slightly, Shuichi turned to the left and saw Ichigo staring straight ahead, growling slightly. The three of them were still holding hands. They were together.

Cerberus realized that Shuichi had regained consciousness and instantly began running at him, not paying any attention to the two new beings that had entered the realm. "Are you ready?" Shuichi could barely hold back his glee. This was it. He had to win now.

"Fuck yea!" Ichigo tore his hand away from Shuichi's and held his claws towards his face. Blue waves of energy began to emit from his body. Sakura slowly released Shuichi's hand and drew two, rather familiar twin daggers from his waist.

Shuichi nodded confidently, ran forward, and picked the Blade of Lamentations up off the ground. "Let's do this!!!" Shuichi screamed out and the three of them began running in unison. Ichigo cackled wildly, claws at the ready. They charged at the three-headed dog and all leapt up in the air simultaneously.

Cerberus' three heads dove down to meet their foes. Shuichi let out another scream and in one swift motion, sliced the neck of the middle head right open. The middle head drooped backwards and Shuichi sliced at the head again. The middle head tumbled off and spun down Cerberus' mighty back. Sakura swiped through the right head with his twin daggers, effectively slashing the right head off the body. It fell to the ground, rolled about, and finally fell still. Ichigo spun around rapidly and chopped the left head into pieces with his claws. The morsels and chunks plummeted to the ground below.

Shuichi, Ichigo, and Sakura all dropped to the ground at the same time. Cerberus, now fully beheaded, stumbled around for a bit, and then slumped to the ground, blood dispensing from three headless necks.

"I can't believe it… we did it!!!" Shuichi turned happily to Sakura.

"Yes, we did." Sakura nodded, a small smile gracing his features.

"Keh, it was easy." Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest, but his purple eyes were glinted with pride.

"Persephone!!" Shuichi whirled around, looking for the Jewel of Hell. "We did it! Cerberus is-" He trailed off as the entire field became filled with darkness and oblivion took him.

* * *

"Shuichi, wake up." A soft voice commanded him.

"Mmm…" Shuichi moaned, turning over. He slowly stirred and opened his eyes. He was lying facedown in the sand. _What happened? I was… I was fighting something… _The half-demon instantly jumped up, remembering his battle. He found himself face-to-face with Persephone.

"Ah!" The boy jumped back a little. Shuichi slowly looked around. He was back in the Forsaken Desert. A quick look over his shoulder revealed Tiril's barrier a few feet away. Everyone was fast asleep. It was still nighttime in the desert.

"You have passed your test. You defeated Cerberus." Persephone stated calmly. "However, I would like to talk to you about that technique you used."

"Uh… okay. What about it?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side.

"I would advise you not to use it regularly. It is a powerful, but dangerous strategy." Persephone uttered seriously. "Splitting yourself into three different beings is a risky thing to do."

"I split myself into three people?!?" Shuichi repeated dumbly, but then again, thinking back, it made sense. Ichigo and Sakura were pieces of him; pieces of him that he had not always readily accepted. But now… the power they both gave him… it was amazing. "I did, didn't I?"

"If either of them had been harmed in the battle, you would have suffered dire consequences. You are putting delicate beings at risk. Once the three of you combined once again, if anything had happened to one of them, it would have affected you as a whole." Persephone continued on as if Shuichi hadn't spoken at all. "That is why I pulled you out of that dreamlike realm so quickly."

"So… does that mean I can't do that for real?" Shuichi pouted slightly.

"No, I am quite sure you can complete that technique while awake. But be warned, Shuichi, it is not a technique you want to use voluntarily." Persephone cautioned the half-demon.

"I guess that makes sense…" Shuichi frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. _They weren't copies of me… they __were__ me! They were like personas… and so familiar, too. But I didn't even call them… Well, I guess somehow on an instinctive level I must have. Wow… I guess I'll save that power until I really need it... for when things seem impossible… like they did back then with Cerberus._

"I hope you understand the severity of what I have said." Persephone stated firmly and Shuichi nodded his head eagerly. "Then I shall bestow gifts upon you, Shuichi, for you have passed my test." The Jewel of Hell held her hand out and the golden necklace appeared again. The fang and ring still hung from it. "Take it and put it on." Shuichi was slightly confused, but obeyed. "Give the fang to my son, Tatsuha. He will take ownership of Cerberus. Give the ring to my daughter, Mika. Upon seeing it, she will allow you to court my son, Yuki."

"Wait what?!?" Shuichi sputtered out, blushing. How did she even _**KNOW**_ about that? "Hold on a sec. I'll give the fang to-"

"I have watched all of my children ever since I committed suicide. I have watched you and how you have treated my Yuki. I have seen how he treats you and I can tell that he cares about you." Persephone paused for a moment.

"Are you sure?" Shuichi muttered darkly. "Because I'm not."

"He has forced a vampire-you are rather familiar with him, Colin, I believe his name is-to spy on you and your companions. I have never seen him go through such lengths to learn of someone." Persephone smiled at the boy's uncertainty. "Shuichi, I speak the truth. Yuki cares for you, much more than he ever cared about anyone. That is why I am giving you my blessing. I know that I can safely leave Yuki's wellbeing in your hands."

"T-thanks…" Shuichi didn't know what to say. _Yuki sent Colin to spy on us? And I didn't even notice him around! Wow… I guess… I guess he __does__ care! He cares! _A wide grin spread over his features.

"You are very welcome. Are you ready to hear my plan?" Persephone smirked as Shuichi's head began bobbing up and down. "Then sit down, my child. We shall go over this until you have it memorized. I have also incorporated your companions into my plan; they shall help as well. But merely as supporters; they will not be in any danger."

"Okay! I'm ready!" Shuichi sat down instantly, fingering the silver ring that dangled from his neck. This was quite possibly one of the most tiring day of his life. But it had all been worth it. He felt better than ever! He had passed Persephone's test and earned her approval. With that approval, came the ultimate plan (which he had yet to hear, but he knew that it had to be amazing) that would cause Horobosu's demise, and the permission to date Yuki.

Persephone sat down in front of Shuichi… and started to inform the half-demon of her plan. Things were definitely looking better. The future seemed a lot brighter for Shuichi. He had a lot of things to accomplish, but the teen knew that he could do it. The most important thing to remember was: he was _never_ alone.

**

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**

**Okay, well while I still have your attention, I have a few things to say. I'll be going back to school tomorrow and my new semester begins on Monday. Until I get used to my new schedule, I won't be updating for a while. But the more reviews I get for this chapter, the faster I'll update! I love hearing what you have to say! (And now I've shamelessly provided some incentive for you to review.)**

**The second thing is a poll. As you all know, or will now be reminded of lol, Ayaka is pregnant. I've already decided that the baby's a girl... I just need to pick a name. I've found a couple that I like, but I can't pick between a certain four. That is where you come in!! **

**A. Delphine**

**B. Audrina**

**C. Dahlia**

**D. Autumn **

**E. (Any name of your choice)**

**Kindly pick a name on the list or provide another if you don't like the ones I've chosen. You can review or PM me your choice, whatever you'd like. But I would appreciate some input here. **

**Chapter 37 will be up eventually. Now that Shuichi knows the plan, when will he execute it? Will Tiril keep having nightmares? Can Suzu endure the chronic headaches? Does the plan stand any chance at all? And is there a new enemy lurking about in the distance? Find out in the next chapter!!**

**And that's it for now, everyone! Thanks for reading!!!**

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	48. Chapter 37: Kizura

**Lol ok wow I was working on this and Internet Explorer decided to be a bitch and close on me. So I'm kind of pissed off right now. So you're getting the shorter version of my introduction because I'm too annoyed to write everything out again:**

**Sorry this is late, I had a birthday party for my Grandpa and my Uncle didn't leave till after midnight. Despite never watching the show, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie Star Trek, but I now have an addiction to Spok/Uhura fics. So if you've read any good ones, please PM me or leave a review about it! This chapter has some medical info at the end. It should be accurate, but if not don't hesitate to correct me! If you find any other mistakes, kindly tell me. Sorry about the bold in the beginning! It's 23 pages of madness... ENJOY!!!!!!!!! **

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_**CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN:**_

_**KIZURA**_

* * *

"_**Death is an important lesson. Through death, I learned how important life is. My life consisted of the bonds I made. The bonds I had with my children and with my husband, to be specific. Bonds are what keep us sane, keep us from getting lonely. And through a bond, almost anything is possible." **_The first voice was deathly calm, laced with certainty and dignity.

"_Is that why we're talking? So we can make our bond stronger?" _The second voice was curious and attentive.

"_**Yes… among other things."** _The first voice answered.

"_Ooh… I see." _But it was obvious that the second did not fully understand. _"Well, not all bonds are good. What about the bad ones?"_

"**_All connections are important in life. The connections we make with others help write our destinies. The good __and__ the bad ones help determine who you are." _**The first voice replied patiently.

"_What do you mean?" _The second voice burst out.

"_**One day, you will ask yourself 'Who am I?'. You will look at all the people's lives you have touched, in positive and negative ways. You will evaluate your bonds with others: how they came to be, how they have grown, how they are now, and how they might be in the future. You determine who you are through the decisions you make and those decisions will always affect those around you."**_ The first voice explained gently.

"_Ooh… I guess that make sense. Hey Persephone, can you tell me what Yuki was like when he was younger?" _The second voice questioned eagerly, the tone of the conversation becoming too philosophical for his liking.

"_**Why, of course, Shuichi. Stubborn, diligent, and he had the brightest, most curious eyes I have ever seen. How I miss those eyes. Yuki was such a thoughtful, inquisitive child. He was so intelligent, so shrewd. He would follow Mareo around everywhere and when they were together, he strove to be so much like his father; he acted like an old man in a youth's body. I tried to keep Mareo from turning our son into a workaholic. My efforts succeeded, almost backfired. Now he uses any excuse to shirk from his duties."**_ Persephone let out a tiny sigh.

"_Hahaha… now it makes sense because he did that for me when I was unconscious after Taki hurt me." _Shuichi uttered nervously.

"_**That was not an excuse my dear, that was pure guilt acting." **_Persephone almost sighed aloud. He was so insecure about what was obvious. Then again, her son wasn't exactly open about his feelings. If only she could talk with him…

"_Oh… okay. Well… what about Tatsuha?" _Shuichi changed the subject again.

"_**Tatsuha! Oh, that mischievous child. He used to antagonize Mika's tree nymphs and they would shriek at him and whip their roots at his knees. He was as naughty as any boy, rash, immature… oh and all he had to do was flash that dazzling, manipulative smile of his and I'd soon forget the reason why he was in trouble in the first place." **_Persephone couldn't help but chuckle.

"_I can picture him getting beat up by a group of nymphs." _Shuichi chortled, his voice rising with excitement. _"I can't wait to tease him about it!"_

"**_Oh, yes, I'm sure he'd love that." _**The Jewel of Hell smirked. She could feel Shuichi's aura growing more and more worried by the second, despite his happy voice. _**"What ails you, Shuichi?"**_ The poor boy had a full plate of problems.

"_I really love him… and that scares me." _Shuichi admitted ashamedly. _"Every day I miss him more and my feelings just grow. And I don't know why and I can't stop it. I touch the ring you gave me all the time just to make sure that it's still there. And I… and I want to be with Yuki so bad, so bad!"_

"_**It's quite normal to be frightened. Most people go through life without finding the one that was made for them. I can think of so many friends I've had that settled for less. Some married friends, quite a few married for power or money or social connections or purely genetic purposes (to keep the family line clean of course), others had children first and then decided to get married, and several got married on a whim, being young and reckless and irresponsible. **_

"_**Some people get married just to escape from their own families or themselves. And that's not what marriage is about. It is a symbol of love. True love should be a prerequisite for marriage… and if it's not there, chances are the marriage will fail or blossom into something ugly in the future. So therefore, I do not think you have anything to fret about. The two of you care about each other and that's enough for now. Take things slow and see how your bond develops. If the two of you are meant to be together, you will be together."**_ Persephone responded wisely, easing his qualms.

"_Wow… I feel a lot better now! Thanks, Persephone!" _Shuichi said merrily.

"_**Now then, before you return to sleep, there is one more thing I wish to speak to you about."**_ Persephone's voice turned grave. _**"Tomorrow, it is your turn to go out and get food for everyone at the safe house, correct?"**_

"_Uh… yeah it is. Why?" _The boy replied, confused.

"**_Because your group has fallen into a routine, it makes you that much easier to track down. You're also waiting for Tiril to recover and this has halted your endeavors for the time being. To put it frankly, the four of you are now an easy target."_ **Persephone began grimly.** _"When you go to the safe house tomorrow, Kizura is going to teleport into that safe house and talk with you."_**

"_Wait what?!?" _Shuichi screamed out. What was going on?

"_**To be honest, when it comes to Kizura, no news is good news. Do not expect anything pleasant to come from this meeting. The fact that she is coming to speak privately with you is frightening at best. She is most likely going to talk about Suzu. Be on your guard, be careful, and do not disrespect her in any way. I do not think she will harm you fatally but-"**_ Persephone informed the half-demon.

"_Fatally?" _The teen repeated dumbly, not even realizing that he had interrupted Persephone. _"Why would she harm me at all? Why is she coming to speak with me and not Suzu? Why-"_

"_**Suzu's headaches. Clearly if she is coming to talk to you about Suzu then they must be serious. I'm guessing that she may rough you up a bit, because it is most likely your fault that Suzu contracted these migraines in the first place."**_ Persephone interjected quietly.** _"Kizura is known for her cruelty, both with words and weapons. You need to be mentally and physically prepared for this."_**

"_Is that why we're talking so early in the night this time? Usually you wait until I've been sleeping for a couple hours." _Shuichi commented observantly.

"_**Yes, that is the reason why. Do not let this disturb your sleep. You will be fine, as long as you do whatever Kizura asks of you."**_ Persephone told the half-demon.

"_Yeah… I guess." _Shuichi sounded exhausted, for more than one reason.

"_**I believe we have talked enough for tonight. I will release your mind so that you can get some rest. Good night, Shuichi."**_ Persephone whispered.

"_Good night…" _Shuichi murmured back, already slipping into nothingness.

* * *

The first thought Shuichi had when he woke up was: _I'm fucked._ The half-demon sat up slowly, wiping his eyes. He looked to his left and saw that everyone else was still asleep. He knew he had to go get breakfast, but he was terrified. He knew what would be waiting for him underneath the sand.

Shuichi gulped, reached out with his hand and shook Suzu's shoulder gently. "Mmm… what?" The dog demon muttered incoherently.

"Random question… can you tell me about your Grandma?" Shuichi asked, hoping he didn't sound too suspicious or too on-the-verge-of-tears.

"Umm… damn that _is_ a random question." Suzu gently put Tiril on the sand next to her and sat up. "Well, she's strong, a hundred times stronger than I am. I'm her favorite granddaughter and her heir, as you know. I guess she could be considered one of the first Hybrids and because of it she gets to live in Heaven."

"What do you mean?" Shuichi cocked her head to one side.

"Well, her Father is an Angel and her Mother is a demon. Not sure where my Great-grandma is, but my Great-grandfather is still in Heaven. Because of her mixed race, the majority of Heaven disapproves of her. She's one of the only beings with demonic blood that have permission to live in Heaven." Suzu wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them to her chest. "She's very overprotective of me and as meddling as a Grandmother could ever be. Personally, I'm surprised that she even suggested that I come here by myself. Oh and she's crazy. But I love her."

"Crazy?" Shuichi squeaked out fearfully.

"Yeah… she doesn't really care about anyone unless they're related to her. We have a big family and she strives to keep us all safe and happy. It's really all that matters to her. It's ironic, because she has such influence in Heaven, but only uses it if one of her descendants is in danger." Suzu enlightened her companion.

"What do you mean influence?" Shuichi couldn't help but ask.

"Well… I guess its power through fear. Angels up there all think that one day, she'll crack and kill them all, so basically, whatever she asks for, she gets. And they love to keep our existence hushed up, so only the High Angels and the Archangels know about us. The humans and the lesser Angels generally have no idea, because the higher ups want to keep up the pure and positive image of Heaven. There's always been rumors circling around about us, but those that don't need to know about us probably don't know we exist." Suzu snorted.

"How many of you are up there?" Shuichi's eyebrows rose. "And you're right; jeez I had no idea that they let demons in Heaven!"

"You see, there you go spreading rumors." Suzu shook her head, a knowing smirk on her face. "They don't let just _any_ demons up there. Remember, my Grandma is half-Angel, therefore, so she kind of had a right to go to Heaven. All of us, her descendants, also have angelic blood. So we can go to Heaven if we wish, but most of us don't. As a matter of fact, I think I'm one of the few that actually grew up there. And I think I was only allowed to because she named me her heir."

"Oh… well why is she crazy?" Shuichi blurted out.

"She had a difficult, traumatic childhood. And she's literally one of a kind. I don't know of any other half-demon, half-Angel beings out there. If there are, they've hidden well. She's been hurt so many times by others and it's hard for her to trust people. Demons think she's a traitor and Angels think she's an abomination. And she stays in Heaven because she'd rather be ostracized and feared than ostracized and mistreated." Suzu smiled sadly, her purple eye darkening.

"That's… that's really sad." The pink-haired teen hung his head.

"Psh, don't feel bad for her. She's rude, manipulative, intrusive, overbearing, and doesn't hesitate to take advantage of or intimidate others." Suzu rolled her eyes, the sadness in her voice gone.

"Huh? Jeez, you're confusing me!" Shuichi rolled his eyes.

"Well she raised me, so I've seen the best and the worst of her. I think I understand her more than anyone does. Grandma… she acts like that because it's the only way she can survive. And I love her for being that strong in the face of adversity, but it's kind of annoying. I have to see the show she puts on for the rest of the world, but yet I know the true inspiration for her behavior. It's kind of like watching a play, but you already know why everything's happening." Suzu explained further.

"Oh… I get it." Shuichi nodded his head slowly.

"Another thing that annoys me, in case you couldn't tell, is the meddling. She always interferes with my life!" Suzu threw her hands in the air. "She always gets worried that something's going to happen to me and she'll go through any lengths to make sure I don't get hurt. She's so afraid to let me go and live my own life. Wait, shit, sorry… I didn't mean to vent." The female chuckled, clearly embarrassed.

"No, it's okay. I mean, come on, how often have I complained to you about stuff? I'm glad that you told me." Shuichi smiled, putting a hand on Suzu's shoulder. He was glad Suzu was being so honest with him. _She really trusts me…_

"It feels good to get it off my chest." Suzu grinned lazily.

"And I think she's protective of you because you're her heir and she raised you." Shuichi pronounced conclusively.

"Well, duh!" Suzu hissed, trying to keep her voice down.

"Well, if the answer's that obvious, then it should be just as easy to talk to her about it!" Shuichi hissed back.

"You don't have to keep whispering; you woke us up a long time ago." Shuichi stiffened at the sound of Apollyon's voice and turned his head around. The Angel was sitting up, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk on his face. He then looked down next to Suzu and saw Tiril drawing circles in the sand.

"Haha! Oh well, we tried! Yo, Shu it's your turn to get breakfast!" Suzu slapped Shuichi on the back. "Go on, boy!"

"I-I'm going!" Shuichi gulped and slowly stood up. _Shit… do I really have to do this? Maybe Persephone got the day wrong. Maybe she's coming tomorrow._

"What is wrong with you?" Suzu raised an eyebrow. "You're turning pale." Tiril snorted, but didn't look up. "You know why he's acting weird, you little bugger?" _Hmm… I have a bad feeling. Something's gonna happen today._

"Yeah… but I'm not allowed to say." Tiril shrugged nonchalantly. "You'll find out soon enough." The Fallen Angel's words did not decrease Shuichi's fear in the least. If anything, he became even more frightened.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Suzu picked Tiril up by the back of his shirt and glared into his eyes. "I've had it with your attitude, you brat!"

"Well, I don't _care_ about Shuichi right now and I'm not supposed to say what's going to happen so even if I _wanted_ to disobey I wouldn't!" Tiril shouted back, narrowing his orange eyes. Suzu dropped Tiril in shock.

Shuichi inwardly sighed. He knew he deserved it… but Tiril's words still hurt. The fact that the boy probably knew that Kizura was coming and chose to say nothing about it hurt even more. _It's my fault he lost his wing… he has every right to be angry with me. I just wish things would start to get better between us. He still won't talk to me._

"You are the most ungrateful…" Suzu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Oh, fuck it; I could use a new punching bag!" The dog demon held her fist back, prepared to beat the tiny boy into a pulp, but Shuichi seized her arm.

"Suzu, don't." Shuichi frowned, tightening his hold on the demon's arm. "He's mad for a reason and I-"

"I don't want to hear it! Enough with this fucking guilt! You fucked up, we know!" Suzu shouted out and Shuichi winced, releasing her arm. "But he's being an asshole! It's just as wrong for him to hold onto his pain and lash out at you. Forgiveness is hard but it's not fucking impossible. And to put it frankly, Tiril, Shuichi didn't _ask_ for you. Raphael fucking dumped you on him so if you're going to get pissed off at someone, why not _him_?"

"Raphael didn't do _**ANYTHING**_ wrong!" Tiril screeched at Suzu, infuriated.

"Well clearly _**YOU**_ did because he didn't want you around!" Suzu snapped back furiously. "I'm sick and tired of-" She broke off as silent tears ran down Tiril's face. The demon rolled her eyes. "You can dish it but you can't take it. Damn brat."

"Now that we've all practiced our _marvelous_ communication skills, I think it's time for breakfast." Apollyon broke in firmly, giving Shuichi a look.

"Umm… ok. Where's the nearest safe house?" The half-demon asked cautiously. Tiril didn't say anything. _This is just awkward…_

"Could you fucking answer him so we can get some food?!?" Suzu burst out furiously, her eye flashing red. "I swear you stupid-"

"Thirty feet to the left." Tiril spat out, not bothering to look in Shuichi's direction. The Fallen quickly wiped his tears away.

"R-right, I'll be back soon!" Shuichi all but ran out of the barrier, leaving Apollyon to clean up this particular mess. _Things get worse before they get better I suppose. And I don't think things can get much worse than this…_

* * *

Shuichi finally finished piling up the last plate of food. It was Apollyon's… but the Angel didn't eat much. Well, compared to Suzu and Shuichi, he could have been considered anorexic. The pink-haired teen smiled as he dodged the hustle and bustle of the safe house in order to reach his destination. The boy had put the first three plates of food on top of a random table located near the mini-bar. He knew by now that no one would bother to take it; the buffet was endless.

He had become so accustomed to the commotion of this particular environment. Safe houses always seemed to be filled with demons, no matter what time he went to get food. If anything, being there was a comfort; it was good to be among unbiased strangers. They were a symbol of society, of a world that Shuichi would eventually return to once he left Hell. Demons that just went about their daily lives; they were only there to eat and socialize with each other.

Shuichi approached the mini-bar and scanned the area for an empty table. The problem was… all of them had demons sitting at them. _Hmm… well I knew it was crowded but jeez our food's on one of those tables! _He then caught sight of a dark-haired female eating ramen. But not just any ramen… it was the ramen he had put on Suzu's plate! He ran over to where the woman was sitting, panting slightly.

"I was wondering when you would come along." The female purred and Shuichi took in her appearance and aura. She seemed… haughty.

"… Excuse me?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side. The female's black eyes locked onto his and he froze. Something was wrong.

"I let my prey come to me." The female smirked maliciously and Shuichi's blood ran cold. He wasn't an idiot. This female was Kizura.

"Oh… um…" Shuichi didn't know what to say. When he first got to the safe house and no one attacked him, he thought he was okay. When he fixed Tiril a plate of food and put it on an empty table and _didn't_ get shot with a million arrows, he thought he might have a chance. But now… what would happen to him?

"Judging by your stuttering, I assume you realize who I am." Kizura stated, standing up. "We will talk outside on the porch." She was tall, extremely tall for a female. It was unnerving. She was wearing simple clothing, enough to fade into the crowd, but it did nothing to hide her elegance. Every movement she made was fluid.

She was also beautiful… and her face looked exactly like Suzu's. They had the same nose and the same mouth… but Suzu never looked at him like that. She never looked at him like she wanted him dead. Suzu's eyes were bright, not dark, and big, not narrow and catlike. Suzu's hair was short and cute, but Kizura's hair was long and menacing, as if it was made of snakes ready to consume him.

Shuichi had no choice but to follow Kizura outside to the porch of the safe house. He hated the outside of the safe house… there was nothing but darkness and caverns in the distance. The porch was wooden and it creaked and the only source of light came filtering through the closed front door. There were even a few rocking chairs placed at either end of the porch… but who would want to sit in them?

Shuichi tried to brace himself as he faced Kizura. She could kill him in and put his dead body in between some rocks and no one would ever know. It would take days to find him. Okay, so he was exaggerating. But he was scared shitless.

"I know all about you boy. I know of this 'prophecy' that is supposedly about you. I know you're supposed to be the One. Let me get one thing straight: if Suzu is in any way harmed because of you, I will kill you." Kizura articulated clearly and calmly. "There will be no hesitation, no sign, no warning. I will simply teleport myself approximately five feet in front of you and will your heart to stop beating. I have done this many times before. Is that understood?"

_She can make my heart stop beating?!?_ As if hearing his thoughts, Shuichi's heart began pounding even faster. _Suzu certainly wasn't kidding when she said Kizura is stronger than her…_

"Boy, I will not ask you again." Kizura narrowed her dark eyes. Shuichi wondered if pretending to pass out would get him out of this mess.

"Well… I-I understand, but how can I help Suzu? What's wrong with her?" Shuichi gulped, trying to calm down.

"I did not like the fact that I had to leave my granddaughter alone with you especially after the Fallen lost his wing. You are a threat to her wellbeing and I knew this from the moment I first laid eyes on you." Kizura replied disdainfully. "I went to Raziel and demanded to know of my heir's future as soon as her headaches increased in severity and incidence. At first I thought it was _you_ stressing her body and her mind, but you are only the indirect cause."

Shuichi found himself growing angry at Kizura's words. She was treating him as if he was a pathetic worm. She _was_ disrespectful and he didn't like it! _I've been beaten down and belittled all my life! I'm sick of it! I'm better than they treat me and I deserve respect!_ The half-demon inwardly frowned and found his hands clenching into fists.

"What's causing her headaches?" Shuichi asked; he was surprised at how easily he could mask the anger he was feeling.

"Horobosu. He's literally poisoning her mind and those headaches are the only sign that something's wrong with her brain. He began poisoning her after the first night you decided to _use_ her to protect you from your nightmares. My granddaughter is paying a price because of your cowardice. Once the poison fully infiltrates her entire nervous system, it will begin to extract itself and drag her soul out with it. Then she will die." Kizura informed the boy furiously and her eyes gleamed in pleasure as Shuichi's jaw dropped.

Shuichi thought back to the first night he had slept with Suzu clutched to his chest. Horobosu must have tried to penetrate his mind that night and fill it with nightmares. But Suzu had protected him and he hadn't been plagued with horrible images. So instead, the demon had decided to turn to Suzu and hurt her instead, in a lethal, devious way. In a way, it made sense. But it frightened him deeply. Even now as they were talking, the poison was eating away at Suzu's brain. And she had no idea. And the liquefied medication he had been giving her was taking away the only noticeable symptom she had.

_I'm an idiot. I'm a fucking idiot._ Shuichi hung his head. But then again, Tiril never even said anything. Nobody knew what was happening to Suzu. Only this Raziel knew what was going on.

"I have seen the future through Raziel and I will show it to you." Kizura went on, her voice abrupt and swift.

"Are… are you allowed to do that?" Shuichi's eyes widened and he took a step back. _Somehow I don't think she's supposed to be telling me about the future. And I have a feeling that it concerns me. This has to be wrong!_

"I am allowed to do anything I wish, especially when it pertains to my heir." Kizura stalked over to Shuichi and grabbed his neck with her hand. The half-demon thrashed and clutched at her arm, but she was too strong. With her free hand, Kizura put her fingers across Shuichi's forehead and pressed hard. He screamed loudly, despite not feeling any pain, and his world went black.

* * *

Shuichi was tied to the wall by vines. Suzu's unconscious body, afloat due to the black mist pouring out of her body, was a steady and still image haunting him from a few feet away. Horobosu leered at the half-demon and the chaos in the room threatened to choke the boy.

"Do you know why you're here now?" Horobosu's cruel eyes bored into Shuichi's. "Because you tried to save this girl and you failed. Do you want to know why you failed? Do you want to know why I will decapitate this girl's soul right in front of you?" The demon was standing right in front of him.

Shuichi looked up at the dim chandelier that cast its feeble light about the chamber. Why was he here? Why had he run off, armed with foolish bravery, thinking that he could defeat Horobosu on his own? Why had Apollyon and Tiril trusted him so? Why had they sacrificed themselves so that he could get ahead? Why were they were still fighting in the deep corridors of Horobosu's new lair?

Shuichi was beyond exhaustion. His body was battered and bloody, his mind could not concentrate on what was important, and his soul was full of insecurity and disappointment.

"You came in here, brandishing your righteousness, as if you were some type of Hercules or some other tragic hero with a valiant point to prove." Horobosu scoffed and Shuichi thought back to the confidence he had; the confidence that was no more. "Listen to me boy: You can only take what has been given to you. You try to change your destiny and only catastrophe will follow. You tried to be more than a pitiful half-demon, more than an abomination; you tried to rise above the prejudices and low expectations that held you down."

Shuichi's purple eyes strayed to the ground. _He's right… I'm pathetic. Suzu is going to die because of me…_ His eyes burned as tears filled them.

"You're a manipulative little whelp. You thought that as long as Suzu was around, nothing bad could happen to you. You took advantage of her strength and thought that because she was invincible, you were invincible. You hid behind her at all times, looked to her for security. You became lazy… and no amount of hard training could change your warped method of thinking." Horobosu continued on, his predatory eyes locked onto Shuichi's pained face.

_Suzu… I'm so sorry…_ Shuichi wanted to wipe his tears away, but he couldn't move a limb in his body. After all she had done for him, after all she had put up with because of him… in her true hour of need, Shuichi could not do anything for her. She was dying, slowly dying right in front of him.

"You know what you lack? You know why you cannot defeat me, no matter how hard you try?" Horobosu was thoroughly enjoying psychologically torturing Shuichi. "You lack hatred, little boy."

He knew the girl was going to die within the hour… and he wanted to make the boy as miserable and self-loathing as possible. Then… the poison would finish extracting, taking the girl's soul along with it. Then the brat would hear it… the inevitable plop of the girl's lifeless body dropping to the cold floor. Of course, Horobosu wasn't going to kill Shuichi until after Suzu had died.

"You ran at me, armed with justice and all that is good… foolish. You cannot truly fight someone unless you hate them. The hatred must fill you, consume you… only then can you fight. You need to hate me in order to fight me. Not only do you need to hate me, you must desire to kill me. Without the desire to kill, to destroy… how can you possibly defeat me?

"For that is what you truly wish, but are not able to admit. Deep down, despite all your proclaimed innocence, you _do_ hate me. You _do_ desire to kill me, because you know it is the only way you can defeat me. You need to kill me in order to conquer your own insecurities.

"But yet… you cannot. Even though I've captured Suzu, even when one of your closest friends is dying right in front of you, you cannot summon the hatred, summon the bloodlust; you cannot kill me." Horobosu smiled as Shuichi looked up into the demon's eyes, the eyes that were surrounded by dripping blood. The boy must've seen the hatred and bloodlust in them.

_Something… is wrong here…_ Shuichi shut his eyes, forcing himself to look away from Horobosu. _He's lying! He can't be right! I… I'm not like that. I could never be like that. I refuse! I won't listen to him! There must be something I can do. Suzu won't die here, not here, not now! Not if I can do something about it! I'm not going to let him brainwash me, not when Suzu needs me!_

Shuichi opened his eyes again, staring at Horobosu. The demon raised an eyebrow at the fierce look embedded in those purple orbs. _Perhaps… the boy has realized the truth. However, it is too late._ Horobosu smirked at the half-demon, crossing his arms over his chest. _Let us see what he tries to accomplish… as the time draws nearer and nearer._

Shuichi remembered there was a time when Suzu told him to "get pissed". He remembered converting the uncontrollable anger into inconceivable power. He remembered all the weeks and days and hours she had trained him. And for what… so she could die here in this decrepit hellhole?

Suzu, Apollyon, Tiril, and Shuichi were like a family, a dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. They stuck together always. Shuichi was going to make it out of here, with Suzu. He was going to prove to everyone in Hell that he was no weak half-demon.

Purple energy was swirling and shimmering about Shuichi's body and his eyes were glowing, but the boy wasn't even aware of it. He was just aware of the power he had, the power that was in his soul, finally ready to be used. Horobosu frowned because he had not predicted this.

_I'm done… running away from him. No more cowardice._ Shuichi took a deep breath, quelling his fears. _It is time for me to be strong._

"I don't _**need**_ to hate you in order to fight you. I don't _**need**_ the desire to kill you in order to defeat you. And I don't _**need**_ to kill you… because you aren't trying to kill me." Shuichi grit his teeth. Alarms were going off in Horobosu's head. The vines that held Shuichi's body to the wall began to loosen.

"You're trying to break me… but I won't let you. Instead, I'll return the favor." Shuichi knew the opportune moment had struck. He closed his eyes, summoning all of his strength, all of his anger, all of his pain. And above all, the desire to stand side by side with his best friend, with Suzu once more. At the exact moment the vines began to fall from his body, the boy made his move.

"**Lament**!" Shuichi shouted out on impulse, leaping forward and thrusting his arms towards Horobosu. He opened his eyes and almost fell over. Shuichi had stabbed Horobosu through the stomach with the Blade of Lamentations.

Shuichi's clothing had changed, just like last time. However, the boy had summoned the sword all on his own. He stared down at the sword, his sword in wonder. Shuichi quickly extracted the Blade of Lamentations from Horobosu's abdomen and watched the demon's body fall to the ground. His eyes were open in shock, he looked paler then ever, and there was blood pouring out of him.

Shuichi knew that he had not killed Horobosu. _I only bought time._ Shuichi ran over to Suzu, almost afraid to move her motionless body. But he knew that Apollyon could save her. Shuichi lifted Suzu's floating body and maneuvered her so that she was on his back. The black mist was still coming out of her body, which was both a good and a bad thing. Good because Suzu was still alive but bad because Suzu was nearing death.

Shuichi then almost smacked himself in the head, realizing that he didn't even have to run all the way out. He laid Suzu gently in the air, dropped his sword and took a deep breath. Shuichi stood with his left leg protruded out, as if he was walking. He then crouched on the ground, leaning slightly forward, with only his right knee touching the floor and his right fingertips pushing on the ground. His left arm was held towards him, as if he was checking the time on his wrist.

Shuichi then slowly lifted his fingertips off the ground, bringing his icy disk up out of the ground. He instantly snatched his sword off the ground, picked Suzu up and placed her on the disk. He then leapt on it and the icy disk zoomed out of the room, leaving Horobosu's body behind…

* * *

Shuichi jolted and convulsed for a few seconds after Kizura released his forehead. The vision was so strong, so real! He felt weak and sick and sweaty and terrified. The boy could almost feel the power coursing through his veins. And it was him! He had fought against Horobosu and managed to get out alive. He had saved Suzu. But... it had been way too close. She had almost died in that future. And he wouldn't have been able to live with himself if Suzu had died because of him.

Shuichi staggered a few feet away from Suzu's grandmother, holding his head in his hands, bending over slightly. His head was in so much pain. The Hybrid female just stood there triumphantly, arms crossed over her chest.

"B-but I won! I b-beat him. And now that won't even happen because you show it to me. What if something worse happens? You changed the future!" Shuichi whispered out, inhaling deeply. He felt as if there was too much adrenalin being pumped into his system. Remnants of the vision swirled about his skull.

"I _am_ changing the future. I will be separating the two of you. You are not allowed to be near my granddaughter until you have proven your worth to me." Kizura declared simply, as if she hadn't even heard Shuichi.

"WHAT?!?" Shuichi found himself shouting angrily. He lost it. _Who does she think she is?!?_ He could tell that his eyes were glowing purple. He was pissed. "Suzu's my friend! You can't keep us apart! And she won't let you-" He broke off as Kizura flew over, seized his pink hair and yanked as hard as she could.

Shuichi let out an angry scream as strands of his hair were pulled out mercilessly. Kizura, ignoring his cries, planted her fist right into his stomach. Shuichi coughed up blood and his eyes began to tear up.

"Are you done talking worm?" Kizura picked Shuichi up by the neck, her nails digging into his skin. Shuichi's world was getting blurry. Blood was dripping down his neck. He couldn't even fight back. She was so strong, so fast, so menacing… and to make matters worse, she was a Hybrid. If she was this strong, how was he supposed to deal with an island full of Hybrid children?!?

"I have spoken with the other Archangels. I convinced them that they were wasting everyone's time by testing your virtues. Actions matter, not ridiculously hypothetical situations. There is a war approaching and no amount of moral training or testing will prepare you for it. Furthermore, no one's perfect… and you're _far_ from it. It's not as though we're testing Pollyanna. Therefore, you will not be tested on your reactions to the seven deadly sins. You have been given a new test, a test that I know you are capable of passing: You are to defeat Horobosu without endangering my heir.

"After you pass your test-because as I'm sure you know, failing is _not_ an option, unless you want to die-you will be taken to the coast of Nihilo where I have arranged for a boat to take you across the waters to Ichiban Castle. You and my heir will part ways at the dock so she can continue her training in solitude without risking her life." Kizura explained to the half-demon. She dropped him on the floor.

"You… you did all that? They let you…" But then Shuichi remembered what Suzu had told him earlier. Kizura could do anything or get anything done because she basically scared the shit out of everyone. She could control all of Heaven if she wanted. The boy slowly rose to his feet.

Shuichi couldn't even take in what was going on. She had basically planned out his future; she had paved the way to Ichiban Castle. And apparently, her word was law. So all he had to do was kill Horobosu… and with Persephone's plan, it was sure to happen. So in essence, he was closer to his Mother than ever and this brought a smile to his face.

But… reaching his Mother meant saying goodbye to Suzu. And that took his smile away. The dog demon was his best friend, his other half, his source of guidance and… Kizura was taking her away. It was so _unfair_. But didn't he deserve it? Seeing Suzu's body just lying in the air… it made the boy shudder. He had almost seen his best friend die. Maybe Kizura was right. He _was_ dangerous.

"I can see the clarity in your eyes." How Kizura could see so well in the dark Shuichi would never know. Or perhaps one day, if she decided she didn't want him dead, he could ask her. "I have one more demand for you to carry out. I had an antidote generated. I will give you the syringe and you will stick her in the elbow, the antidote will spread throughout her body, destroying the poison and undoing any damage that it has started."

"How did you get the antidote?" Shuichi found himself curious, despite his situation. His mind was still whirring around at eighty million miles an hour and everything was happening so fast he was afraid to slow down. Because then reality would hit him like a ton of bricks.

And he didn't want reality. He didn't want to leave Suzu; he never wanted to leave her! Granted, he certainly didn't have any romantic feelings for the female, being that he was gay, but when he looked at Suzu, he saw a _sister_, a sibling he never had, and the bond between them was so strong he could barely understand it. But he knew that what Kizura was doing was wrong, it was wrong and it was unfair and he knew that he wasn't strong enough to oppose her so he barely had any freaking choice in the matter and he would just have to sit there and let his best friend be taken away from him…

"Suzu's Guardian Angel is an expert in all things poisonous. Once I told him what would become of his charge, he quickly did some research and was able to concoct this in no time." Kizura held her hand out and a small, silver needle appeared. "I would prefer it if you administered the antidote as soon as you return."

"… Why can't you do it?" Shuichi slowly asked, a frown forming on his face. _She got Suzu's Guardian Angel to get the antidote made, she figured out what was happening to Suzu in the first place… so why isn't she giving her the antidote? It doesn't make any sense…_

"Just be glad I am allowing you to take some part in her recuperation." Kizura snapped out crossly and then it clicked.

"Because you know she'll be furious with you! You don't even want me to tell her that you came here!!!" Shuichi shouted, his anger growing as well. "You came here to scare the shit out of me and intimidate me into sticking a fucking needle into Suzu so you won't have to listen to her scream at you for meddling just like you always do!" He knew he should have bitten his tongue when he found himself flat on the ground, Kizura's heel digging into his chest. He could feel the blood bubbling up again. He felt nauseous, but satisfied at the same time. He struck a nerve. They both knew it.

"Don't pretend for a second that you know anything about me or Suzu, little boy." Kizura put more and more pressure on Shuichi's chest until she heard his weak, bloody gargle. There were enraged tears trailing down Shuichi's cheeks. She finally lifted her foot off his chest… only to kick his body with so much force that he was thrown into the air and plopped back down the ground limply.

_I don't get it… why can't I fight back? I feel like I've got no energy, no power, no will…_ Shuichi stood up, his breath haggard and slow.

"My powers of intimidation are not just mental. I have been known to terrorize demons through my eyes alone. I have caused many an Angel to faint just by being in my vicinity. Demons have cowered before me, trembling like newborn infants in the cold. Just by being around me, your repulsive blood quivers, your futile sympathetic nervous system cannot even function in order to aid you. As long as you fear me, you can _never_ fight me. You half-demons disgust me. Caught in between two worlds… you can never belong to one or the other." Kizura snorted condescendingly.

"Speak for yourself." Shuichi spat out, wiping his bloody lips. "Why the fuck are you being so-" He was so unbelievably pissed off, he wanted to scream. He wanted to take his fear away, he wanted to fight. He wanted to shove his fear down her throat and make her choke on it. But he remembered what Persephone had told him. It was so hard to respect someone that was-

"Mean?" Kizura demanded tauntingly, throwing her head back and laughing for a moment. Shuichi was not amused, especially when he saw her eyes flash red for a nanosecond. "Let me tell you something about mean, you little bitch. I don't know what kind of fairy tale you've been living in, but I'm about to fucking wake you up. Demons are mean. Angels are mean. Humans are mean. Half demons are mean.

"The only beings you can count on are the members of your own family. And when I say family, I don't mean your fifth cousin or your fucking step-dad's goddaughter! And I certainly don't mean the uncle who doesn't even know how to spell your name or the Great-grandmother that thinks you're an abomination and refuses to look at you. I _**AM**_ Suzu's family. I raised that girl as if she were my own child and I'll be damned if I sit around her and let _**YOU**_ bring her that close to death. I refuse to wait for you to grow up, not at the expense of my granddaughter's lifespan.

"And you'd do well to strengthen your _own_ family ties, fool." Kizura snorted.

"What are you talking about?" Shuichi heard himself asking, partially surprised that he hadn't been shocked into silence.

"Oh sure you've got Crimson and Ryuichi and fuck knows how many other non blood 'relatives' you've got. Like I said, you can only trust-"

"Well I'm trying to make it to the castle so I can see my Mother again!" Shuichi interrupted, ready to break one of those damn rocking chairs.

"I wasn't talking about your Mother you idiot. Everyone on the planet knows how much you fucking love her. I was talking about your Father." Kizura narrowed her eyes. At this point Shuichi was contemplating murder.

"What about my Father?" Shuichi frowned, making fists with his hands.

"It's a shame even you can't realize it. I suppose his plan is going to work." Kizura crossed her arms over her chest. "If it's not too much trouble, could you try caring about him?"

"… Try caring about him?" Shuichi didn't like the sarcastic tone of Kizura's voice. "Look, you clearly don't care about me at all. So why can't you mind your own business? You said you came here for Suzu and Suzu alone so don't try and counsel me on relationships! You should try and be more honest. Suzu's eventually going to find out that you went behind her back and interfered with her life again. And she's not going to be happy with you."

Kizura leapt forward, grasped Shuichi by the front of his shirt and head-butted him into the door. He cried out as his head seemed to explode in pain and blood trickled down his forehead. The boy grabbed onto the doorknob and pulled himself to his feet. He would face her; he would look her in the eye. Even if he couldn't fight back, he wouldn't give up.

"Don't you ever talk to me like I don't know my own granddaughter. Ever. I know she's going to be pissed at me. Why should I let that stop me? If someone is threatening one of the few beings I care about, why shouldn't I do everything in my power to save them? Surely she'll be angry now, but she'll understand.

"What you don't realize is that I raised her, I trained her, I wiped her tears away, I was at her wedding, and I've babysat her children many, many times. I'm more a part of her life than YOU ever will be. And that is exactly why she'll get mad, yell, scream, and when she's done with her tantrum, she'll forgive me. Because I'm family and I've been there for her more than anyone else has." Kizura finished fiercely and tossed her head. Shuichi's body was lifted into the air and smashed into the door. He fell to the ground once more.

"Fine. Whatever." The half-demon stood up once more. "You seem to think you're right, but I don't agree. And I'm going to tell her exactly what you did. And you can't stop me."

"Do what you want boy. But if you do not pass my test, you will die." Kizura sneered at Shuichi. "Look at you, covered in blood. Disgusting. Zion! Come here!" Shuichi inwardly froze; was she calling on some ally? Was this Zion going to torture him while Kizura watched? He could already picture her laughing heartlessly at him. If only she hadn't put some damn spell on him!

Shuichi hid his eyes with his arms as a white light appeared in between Kizura and himself. He could tell that someone had teleported into the area. Then… he heard the voice. "My God, Kizura… what did you _do_ to him?" Shuichi's arms immediately went to their sides and he found himself facing a rather tall, attractive Angel.

This Zion was almost as striking as Yuki... and that was impressive. He had long, silvery blue hair and stunning, silver eyes. He instantly felt a connection to the Angel. "Are you seriously experiencing sympathy right now, Zion?" Kizura barked out, crossing her arms over her chest. "This boy is the cause of your charge's demise!"

"His eyes are just like Suzu's. How could you bear to lay a finger on him? It'd be like beating your own granddaughter." Zion raised an eyebrow, studying Shuichi closely. _Amazing… I feel as if I'm looking right at her. They truly are Twin Flames. _Without another word, the Guardian Angel stretched out his hand and gently touched Shuichi's forehead. And just like that, all of his pain went away. His injuries were gone and the fear that had literally been paralyzing him vanished.

"Wow… thanks!" Shuichi grinned widely. _Suzu has the best Guardian Angel ever!!_ He couldn't help but feel that he had seen Zion before, but that was silly.

"Was that really necessary?" Kizura growled, her dark eyes flashing menacingly. Shuichi gulped, feeling quite normal fear, and instinctively moved closer to Zion.

"I could say the same to you. Physical, mental, and psychological torture? And I'm sure the High Angels love the fact that you tampered with the future." Zion snorted disdainfully. "Suzu is very protective of those close to her… and once she figures out what you've done to him… she won't forgive you easily."

"Insolent whelp! I could have you fired…" The Hybrid spat out.

"Do you remember what happened when you tried to kill me?" Zion smirked mysteriously and Shuichi's eyes widened. The Angel's voice had taken on an enigmatic tone. Something had happened then. Something more than just attempted murder. "And do you remember what this boy did?"

"Wait what?!?" Shuichi shouted out. "What are you talking about?" He didn't remember any such incident. Did Suzu remember? Well, Kizura sure did. He watched in shock as her face grew pale. She looked uncomfortable… and it was because of him! Shuichi did something when she tried to kill Zion! Not that it made any sense at all… but it made him happy!

"You… how dare you bring that up?!? Raziel told us to never speak of that-"

"You seem to have no problem tampering with time for your own selfish needs. Well, for once, I'm going to emulate you." Zion turned to Shuichi and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Do not fear her. You are not strong enough now, but believe me, once you find those you are most connected to, no one will be able to stop you. I have seen it. I have seen what all of you are capable of. I believe in Suzu just as much as I believe in you."

Shuichi's eyes widened in wonder and realization. "So that's why she's so mad at me… because I'm stronger than her, because I _**can**_ be stronger than her. I defeated you, didn't I?" The half-demon turned to Kizura, a conceited smirk on his face. It felt good to be confident for once. It felt damn great, actually, considering all he had just been through.

"You and your… companions would have killed Kizura, but Raziel intervened and stopped it from happening." Zion said carefully, not wanting to reveal too much information.

"Wait… who else was with me besides Suzu?" Shuichi frowned and thought to himself. "TIRIL!" He burst out instinctively. "He's special, too!" It was true… he always did feel a special connection with the boy… even though the Fallen hated him right now.

"Right." Zion nodded his head, sounding somewhat fascinated by the boy's accurate conclusion.

"But there's someone else…" Shuichi bit his lip, frantically searching his memory for someone else he felt inexplicably linked to. "Well… the only other being I can think of is that weird kid with the green hair who's been in my dreams. Why else would I be dreaming of him? So that's it, right, Zion? There are four of us?"

"Yes. There are four of you." The Angel answered. "I'm impressed that you figured it out on your own. But now that we have discussed this, we must move onto more important matters. Suzu needs to be cured. The first needle was broken and its contents spilled all over the ground, courtesy of Kizura.

"I have one needle here. I would like you to insert the first needle into her elbow. The antidote will travel to through her bloodstream via the anticubital vein. Any damage done to her nerve cells will be rectified by her stem cells." Zion broke off, noticing that Shuichi looked confused. "Just stick the needle in her elbow and the antidote will do its job. Understood?"

"Yup!" Shuichi nodded his head once. Zion held out one hand and a needle appeared. The boy snatched it out of the Angel's hand.

"Off you go, now. Get your food and bring it back to your friends." Zion smiled lightly at Shuichi and then turned to Kizura, who stayed uncharacteristically silent. "Let's go. Heaven awaits us."

And just like that… they both vanished into thin air. Shuichi stared into darkness for a few seconds and then dashed back into the safe house, which literally felt like the safest place in the world at this point.

* * *

"Finally! What the hell took you so long?" Suzu shouted impatiently as soon as Shuichi was back inside the barrier, carrying multiple plates of food. "Did the place break down?"

"Uh… no it didn't." Shuichi muttered, quickly handing the dog demon her plate, hoping it would shut her up. It worked. Shuichi gave Apollyon his food and finally, turned to Tiril. "Here you go." The Fallen didn't move and with a sigh, Shuichi laid the plate down next to him.

"You know… it would have been nice if you had warned me just a little bit. I know you hate me; I know you think I don't deserve your forgiveness. But the fact is… I'm not perfect. I'm going to make mistakes. But I promise you, I _**promise**_ you that I will _never_ make a mistake that big again. I will do my best to keep you out of danger. And the next time you call my name, I'll turn around.

"I should have listened to you. You trusted me and I failed you. And I may have cut off Horobosu's arm, but that doesn't change the fact that you've lost a wing. But it's been a while since it happened and the more you hold onto this anger, the more it will consume you. I need you to forgive me, because I can't protect you if you won't let me in. I love you Tiril, and nothing you do will change that. And I hope that you love me, despite everything that's happened." Shuichi let out a long sigh. _There… it's all out there and he can take it or leave it!_

Tiril looked up at Shuichi and their gazes locked. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Tiril spoke: "Your first child is going to be a boy." He immediately burst into giggles and Shuichi began screaming about the joys of fatherhood.

* * *

**And that's that for now. Leave one, let me know what you thought of it! ****Chapter 38... A plan is revealed, an illness is treated, a deal is made, a test is passed, and... an enemy is beaten. ****I haven't started writing it yet, but I'm excited because I've had this plan in my head for ages now!!! **

**After Chapter 38, comes Intermission 02. This one also takes place in Heaven. The pairing will be revealed next chapter. If you thought Kizura & Zion did not have adequate physical descriptions in this chapter, never fear! Their proper descriptions will be in the Intermission! **

**Intermission 02 is our final intermission in Prediction of the Pink!!!!! *tear* Why? Because according to my tentative outline (which is subject to change) after approximately TEN more chapters this baby is done!!! And as you know, Intermissions occur every 13 chapters. So I'm going to make the last one a good one. Let's just say... I may or may not have to change the rating to M. If that's not okay with you, tell me. **

**I'm not sure when I'll start writing Chapter 38. Between work at NY & Co, my summer class, life, and sleep... I'm busy as hell. I will try to update as soon as I can. Time seems to be something I don't have these days... Anyways Happy Memorial Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	49. Chapter 38 Part 1: Hell Hath no Fury

**Hi!!! So yea, I didn't mean to not update for over a month. That was bad of me. I had my summer class (which is over now thank God), my job (that I have a hate-sorta like relationship with), my friends and family, and personal stuff haha. But here, I come bearing gifts! When I saw that Chapter 38 was getting kind of long (its 25 pages so far), I decided to split it into two parts. It is a pretty pivotal chapter, as you will see. So here's the first part! Enjoy!! Thank you guys so much for reviewing my story!! And to those that add my story to their favorites or subscribe to it, I greatly appreciate it!! **

**But the biggest thank you of all goes to Delia, who was my 500th reviewer!!!!!!! This chapter is dedicated to you!! (And lol, your surprise is coming up in a few chapters. I didn't forget about it and all you've done for me.)**

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_**CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: (Part 1)**_

_**HELL HATH NO FURY

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Shuichi stole a quick look at Suzu. She had been strangely quiet during their meal. Just as he was about to open his mouth and question her silence, she opened hers, fixing him with a shrewd look. "So… what was Zion doing here?" The dog demon spoke up casually, twirling her chopsticks around.

"W-what?!?" Shuichi choked on his rice and started coughing wildly. Tiril's orange eyes widened and he blinked a couple times. Apollyon narrowed his eyes, staring hard at Shuichi.

"You heard me." Suzu narrowed her purple eye at Shuichi. "Honestly, do you think I'm stupid? You know, you might have gotten away with it, too. I can only slightly smell my Grandmother on you, so I probably would've just ignored it. Or thought it was some random demon in the safe house that happens to smell like her. Either way, I never would have said anything. But Zion? He's different. And you have _his_ scent on you. On your forehead particularly, which means he most likely healed you, which means that my Grandma attacked you… and probably used her Petrifaction technique on you." The demon finished evenly, waiting for an explanation.

"H-how do you know his smell?" Shuichi gulped, putting his bowl of rice down. _I've never seen her this mad before… and she's calm! She's not even shouting!_

"We've been married for seven hundred years. What kind of wife would I be if I didn't know my own mate's scent?" Suzu snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. Shuichi's jaw dropped open.

"You're married to him?!?" Shuichi squawked, purple eyes widened in disbelief. "No way! He's hot!!!" _So that's why he looked at me like that…_

"You're missing the point." Suzu growled out. "How would _you_ feel if I ran off and had some secret meeting with your Mother and Yuki?"

"S-Suzu… I'm really sorry-" Shuichi didn't even think about it like that. But now he felt like the biggest jerk in the world. He would feel disappointed and hurt. He would feel betrayed and upset and the indignation would take him over… oh.

"And what's worse… you _**used**_ me for information!" Suzu continued on, as if the half-demon hadn't even spoken. "You couldn't even be honest with me and tell me the _REAL_ reason why you wanted to know about my Grandmother. You were just being a coward and didn't want to face her without-"

"Suzu, I know you're angry, but-" Apollyon broke in, trying to diffuse the tension. Tiril took a deep breath, knowing that his efforts would do nothing but increase her anger.

"Shut the fuck up." Suzu's eye turned red. "This matter is between Shuichi and I. Do _not_ interfere."

"I know, I know. I _am_ a coward. I was freaked out. I was terrified. And that's no excuse… I shouldn't have used you like that. But you have to know, that's not what I was thinking. I was thinking that you were the only one I could turn to, you were the only one that could help me-" The teen was babbling, struggling to find the right words.

"Don't try and sugarcoat it, Shuichi. You used me to get information, plain and simple. You're a lot more manipulative than you let on." Suzu's eye turned purple, which was a good sign. "You've betrayed my trust."

Shuichi felt tears fill his eyes. "But I didn't mean to… I'm really sorry, I am. You're my best friend and I know what I did was wrong and if you did it to me I'd be really upset too, but I'd forgive you eventually so please don't hate me I love you and it was a secret meeting about _you_ your Grandma beat the shit out of me and I couldn't even fight back because she Petrified me or whatever and I thought I was going to die and she showed me the future and _**you're**_ dying and she gave me a needle to fix you but then she broke it because she hit me so much and then Zion came and he healed me and I think he misses you because his eyes looked kinda sad when he looked at me and he said we have the same eyes and I don't want you to die especially if you hate me, I'd never be able to live with myself cuz it's bad enough it's my fault you're dying in the first place and Zion gave me a new needle and we just have to stick it in your antibut, no anticubital vein and I think that's your elbow but if it's not we can just find some other vein and I really, really don't want you to die! Did I mention I was really sorry? And I love you?"

"Ok, ok, I get it." Suzu frowned, interrupting Shuichi. "Just give me the damn needle and I'll stick myself with it." While she seemed calm, on the inside she was shocked. _I'm… dying?_

"Did… did you actually understand all that?" Tiril gave Suzu a dubious look. "That wasn't even English! That was like… _runongulan_ or something!"

"Did you seriously make up a new word just to describe a run-on sentence?" Suzu quirked an eyebrow, her icy voice making Shuichi wince. "Shuichi, the needle." She held her hand out expectantly.

"Is she really dying?" The Angel of Hell questioned curiously. "What else did Kizura tell you?" T_here's more… Kizura wouldn't just give him the antidote._

"Suzu, can I please give you the antidote?" Shuichi bit his lip, forcing himself to be strong. He knew that Suzu wasn't going to make this easy on him. But he was prepared to fight for her forgiveness. And that included dealing with her anger, which he most certainly deserved.

"Why?" The female rolled her eyes, her voice curt and vehement.

"I know… I know I fucked up… again." Shuichi sighed. "And it's my fault you're sick. I'm trying to be strong and not hurt my friends… but it seems like I've been doing the exact _opposite_ ever since I got here. But I… I endured a lot of pain today. And I left the safe house with this needle. And I told Zion I would give you the antidote. It's my responsibility and I don't want to go back on my word. I'm trying to be a better person and… I'm going to need your help to do that."

Suzu glared at him for a moment… and then wordlessly held out her right arm. She turned it so that the visible veins in her arm faced the sky. She also twisted her head in the opposite direction so that she couldn't see the needle. Shuichi slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the syringe. He held it gently in his hands, as if it was a diamond.

"You don't like needles." Tiril carefully observed; his true aim to distract her so that Shuichi could do his job.

"Well duh. And we don't even have any bandages or anything to-" Suzu broke off as a ripping sound was heard. Shuichi had ripped the arm of his own shirt. She wouldn't admit it, but her heart melted, her anger almost gone. _That idiot._

Shuichi took a deep breath and gently took Suzu's arm with his hands. The vein was easy enough to see, blue and racing up the dog demon's arm. It amazed him that he knew exactly what to do; it was almost like someone else was moving his hands around. The boy tied the piece of his shirt around Suzu's upper arm, trying not to tie it too loose or too tight. He then tapped her ripe vein and conjured up a small droplet of water, slowly wiping her skin with it.

Shuichi quickly untied the tiny strip of clothing and removed it from Suzu's arm. After taking a deep breath, the teen gently inserted the needle into her vein and injected the antidote. Once every last drop was gone from the syringe, he used the piece of his shirt to put some pressure on the injection site. Shuichi tied the shirt right around the tiny red dot that had appeared on Suzu's arm.

"O-okay. It's done." Shuichi let out a deep breath. "How do you-" He squawked in shock as Suzu immediately became unconscious, her body slumping over. He quickly snatched her before she could hit the ground, his eyes wide with worry. "Is she okay?" He turned his head to look at Tiril. "What happened to her?"

Tiril took a deep breath and stared hard at Suzu. His orange eyes became somewhat distant for a moment and sweat formed on his forehead. "She's… her body is healing. She's okay. She's going to be okay." The Fallen smiled in relief, wiping his forehead. His face was a bit pale.

"I would advise against forcing your ability from now on." Apollyon frowned visibly. Shuichi began lowering Suzu's unconscious body onto the sand. He couldn't help but think of black mist. But there wasn't any. It wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen.

"I wasn't forcing it! I was just… getting information out of my brain that was already there… I think." Tiril protested, pouting slightly. Shuichi chuckled at Tiril's stubbornness; it was something he was picking up from both Suzu and himself. Whether it was a good thing or not… he had no idea, but he thought it was adorable. He brushed some of Suzu's black hair away from her face.

"And as for you, Shuichi, I believe you have some explaining to do." Apollyon gave the half-demon a stern glare. Shuichi gulped loudly.

"Er… how about we wait until Suzu wakes up? That way… I won't have to repeat myself." Shuichi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Either way… he was in deep shit. Tiril rolled his eyes and began staring at the dry atmosphere before them. The pink-haired teen got up, went back over to his food, and started eating it again. Who knew when Suzu would wake up?

* * *

"Okay… I _really_ need to have a talk with my Grandma later." Suzu let out a long sigh, shaking her head. Suzu had woken up four hours later. She claimed to feel better than ever and renewed in some way. The demon didn't seem fatigued, weak, or sick in any way. Shuichi and Tiril had been overjoyed with her recovery. Then of course, Apollyon had to ruin the happy air by reminding Shuichi of his earlier words. So the half-demon thoroughly recounted everything that had occurred during his meeting with Kizura. Suzu was still slightly annoyed with Shuichi, but after listening to what the boy had to say, she knew she had a new issue to address.

"We need to talk. Alone." Suzu stood up, waiting for Shuichi to do the same. The half-demon gulped, but mirrored her actions. The two of them left the barrier and walked away, far enough so that Apollyon and Tiril couldn't hear but close enough so that they could still see the barrier. "She really said all that? She wants to separate us?"

"Yeah…" Shuichi lowered his eyes to the burning sand. He had to will himself not to cry. He had been trying not to think of it.

"Dammit, who does she think she is?!?" Suzu hissed angrily. She wanted to punch something, anything! "What gives her the right to dictate my fucking life?!?"

"But… she was right. I'm dangerous, Suzu. I almost got you-" Shuichi protested weakly.

"Shut up with that!" Suzu stomped on the ground. "You're allowed to make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes! And YOU didn't get me killed at all. It was Horobosu, right? He's the one my stupid Grandmother should be after. No you! It makes me so angry that she did that! If something doesn't go according to HER plans, she goes nuts!"

"I know but… it was going to happen anyway, right?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side, gulping quickly. _I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry. _

"Yeah… but…" Suzu pouted slightly, a defeated look in her eyes.

"I mean, because you have to train for who knows how long and I have to go to my Mother and well we never talked about what would happen once we reached Nihilo with the money but I mean I just always assumed that we would just…" Shuichi trailed off, his voice quivering.

"I know, I know and it makes sense." Suzu picked up right where the boy left off. "But it's the manner of our separation that's bothering me. If it was of our own free will, I'd be fine with it. The fact that we're being forced apart is such bullshit. And what kills me is that I know there's nothing we can do. Because I mean… we were going to do it anyway and now it just seems like we're bending to _her_ will."

"It's funny… I almost feel like I'm about to cut off my own arm." Shuichi let out a long sigh, running his fingers through his pink hair. "Is it weird that we barely know each other and yet… and yet…"

"You're like my brother." Suzu broke in accordingly. "I don't think it's weird at all. I think its fate. I don't know how we are… or why we are… but we just _are_."

"**Connected****.**" Shuichi nodded his head once, smiling, despite the tears in his eyes.

"Yeah." Suzu grinned back, reaching over to ruffle the boy's hair. "So it'll almost be like we're never apart. I'll be in your heart… and you'll be in mine. I'll think of you… and then you'll sneeze because of it and then you'll think of me, because you'll know that I've been thinking of you."

"I'm going to miss your mindless rambling." The teen laughed, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Oh please… not anymore. In case you haven't noticed _dummy_, you've picked up that particular habit of mine." Suzu stuck her tongue out at Shuichi. The boy's mouth dropped open in shock… and then they both burst out laughing. Shuichi gradually leaned forward until his forehead was resting against Suzu's. "Yo, now would be the worst time for you to go all hetero on me."

"Sorry… I only like blondes."

"I'm going to miss you, Shuichi."

"Goodbye… Suzu."

"It's not goodbye… it's 'au revoir'. There's a big difference."

"I always thought they meant the same thing."

"It means… until we see each other again. So… au revoir, Shuichi."

"Au revoir, Suzu."

"I guess I'm not mad at you anymore."

"Great! Let's go back and grill Tiril until he answers _that_ question for us."

"Hmm… great minds think alike."

"That they do."

* * *

The two of them returned the barrier with happy smiles and warm hearts. Tiril had been slightly confused, but ultimately happy that they had settled their dispute. But of course, Apollyon wanted to get back to business. And now… came the "Q and A" session, much to Shuichi's discomfort.

"One thing I don't understand is-" The Angel of Hell began suspiciously.

"Hold it right there!" Suzu interrupted, holding her hands up. "Yo, Tiril. We've all been honest with each other, right? I told Shuichi everything there was to know about my Grandma, he told us everything she did… and I'm sure if Apollyon had any deep, dark secrets-not that he has any because he's simply too boring-he would most _certainly_ tell us. But what about you. Anything you'd like to tell us?"

"No." Tiril responded instantly, a frown on his face.

"Wrong answer." Suzu smirked, punching the Fallen in the back of head.

"Ow!!" The green-haired boy cried out, looking to Shuichi for help.

"Okay, okay. Well basically, something has been bothering the both of us. I remember the first time I saw Horobosu." Shuichi took a deep breath. It wasn't exactly a memory he wanted to revisit. "I remembered everything I saw while he was torturing me. And I remember becoming so mad, so angry, that I punched him right in the face. I also remember falling to the air towards Suzu. But after that particular memory, no matter how hard I try, I can't remember anything else."

"Yea so what happened ya little brat?" Suzu interjected, crossing her arms over her chest. "And don't give us that lame ass lie… 'Oh, Apollyon is so big and strong and despite the fact that he had been incapacitated, he magically woke up and beat the shit out of Horobosu and rescued us all because we're all so pathetic and weak'."

"That is _not_ what I said." Tiril narrowed his orange eyes at Suzu.

"I believe you're avoiding the question." Shuichi frowned noticeably. "Either way something happened and for some reason, you lied to us."

"And it wasn't just you." Suzu's eye flashed red as she gave Apollyon a flippant glance. "He's been holding out on us, too, which leads me to believe that an Angel got us out of there. Angels love protecting their own, lying and being deceitful for the sake of each other… it's disgusting. But you know… I can't think of any Angel who would come down from Heaven, kick Horobosu's ass for us, and then leave. Oh and tell you to keep the truth from us."

"I believe it was Raphael." Shuichi professed sensibly, watching Tiril's eyes widen for a second. It was all the response he needed to go on. "When you lost your wing, he teleported into the area and shot me with an arrow. He knew that he couldn't kill Horobosu himself without getting into major trouble with the rest of Heaven, so he did the next best thing and tried to make me do it."

"I can't figure out why he would go to such lengths to protect you… and be so secretive about it. It's not like you two have anything in common." Suzu's tone became serious. "I've seen records of Fallen Angels before… and your name isn't on the list. Furthermore, records show that the only existing family Raphael has ever had is his wife, Naophiel. He doesn't have any parents, no kids, no siblings… so logically, there's no reason for him to have any interest in you at all. So before you go on keeping his secrets, you need to think about something for a minute.

"You may think Raphael cares about you and loves you, but let's be honest here. He left you with Shuichi. So who's been taking care of you all this time? Him. Not Raphael. If Raphael gave a damn about you, you'd be up in Heaven right now, living the good life and sipping champagne and wearing white robes. I mean sure, he comes down when things get shitty and waves his magic wand. But then he's gone again and we're the ones that have to pick up the pieces. We're the ones that are _**really**_ here for you, not him. We've stayed together all this time… we've been through so much together. If anything, you should be more loyal to _us_ than to him.

"Shuichi and I… we _are_ your family. And yes, I'm excluding Apollyon because he's perpetuating this whole stupid cycle of angelic depravity in which the ends justify the means even if the means are dishonest and cruel and unjust. And most of them think they're all allowed to behave that way… just because they're Angels. Does that seem right to you, Tiril? Does it seem okay that Raphael made you lie to us, despite all that we've been through?" Her voice was hauntingly calm despite the gravity of her speech.

Tiril's blood ran cold for a moment and tears filled his eyes. He didn't know why, but he was so hurt by what Suzu had said. And he felt angry… he was angry at Raphael. He had so many emotions running through him and he didn't know why. There was so much he didn't know. But he did know that Suzu was right. She was right and Raphael was a big jerk and he just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

"Stop it, just stop it!" Tiril screamed out, tears falling from his eyes. He started crying uncontrollably. Shuichi's eyes softened and he put his arms around the tiny boy.

"We're not trying to hurt your feelings." The half-demon started rubbing Tiril's back. "We just don't think it's fair that you guys know something that we don't. And believe me, if it was nothing, then there wouldn't be any reason to lie about it in the first place. And I get the feeling that something big happened, something that could help us answer some questions we have about ourselves."

Tiril sniffled and pushed at Shuichi until the latter let go of him. He gulped and took a deep breath, ignoring Apollyon's disapproving stare. "I know… I know a lot things. If I try hard enough, I could know everything about almost everything. But why I can do this… I don't know. I don't know anything about myself. And I try. I try all the time. But I can never remember and nothing ever comes to me.

"It's like there's a black hole in my brain, the part of my brain that's about me. And I can know everything else about _everyone_ else except myself. I don't know how old I am, or why I'm in Hell, or what I _did_ in Heaven that was so bad that I got sent here. I don't know why I was in that tree, because I know it's not normal for Fallen Angels to be there. But the thing that bothers me the most is that I can't remember why Raphael is so important to me.

"When I think of him, a thousand emotions just come to me. But I can't place any meaning to them. I feel happy and sad and loved and angry and ugly and disappointed and worried and I always hope that I can see him again, so that I can ask him who I am and more importantly, who is he to me.

"But I know… I know that he won't answer me. Because you're right, Suzu… he only comes around when things seem hopeless. He comes to save the day and then he's gone, just like a superhero. He won't stay. He won't stay because he's just as unattainable as the sun and that's why they fit so well together. And I… I may not know where I've been or what I've done… but I know where I'm going and what I'm going to do. I'm not going to do this anymore. I can't because it hurts too much. And I'm sorry for keeping this from you guys for all this time." And with that, Tiril proceeded to tell Shuichi and Suzu exactly what happened on_ that_ day.

* * *

"No fucking way." Surprise was written all over Suzu's face. Shuichi looked just as shocked. _We managed to make an Archangel crossover from Heaven to Hell in a matter of seconds?!?_ It was epic, basically. Things like that did not happen normally. To think that combined, they had so much power. It was amazing.

"So we summoned Raphael?" Shuichi crossed his arms over his chest. "How did we do that?" Inwardly, he was glowing. The fact that Raphael would have come anyway… because YUKI told him to… well, it felt amazing. He wanted to jump up and down and scream wildly. But he held himself back.

"I'm not sure… like I said, he put his hand on my head and then everything went black and then I woke up and Raphael told me not to tell you that he was there." Tiril stole a look at Apollyon. "I guess he knows because he was awake the entire time." The Angel of Hell had been strangely silent the entire time.

"Ok, fess up!" Suzu pointed a finger at the Angel. "What the bloody hell happened?"

"Ok, stop with the fo-British accent." Shuichi rolled his eyes and giggled out loud when Suzu punched him in the shoulder. Then her jaw dropped open.

"Oh. Oh my. Oh my God!" Suzu shouted out, her heart beating wildly. "Holy shit! No fucking way!" _It can't be… we couldn't be… it's not possible… _But it explained it. Why they were able to accomplish such an amazing act.

"What, what is it???" Shuichi demanded, grabbing onto Suzu's shoulders.

"Shuichi… I finally get it. We're fucking Twin Flames." Suzu seized Shuichi's cheeks with her hands. "It fucking explains it all! Everything!"

"Twin Flames?" Shuichi frowned. Sure the term seemed familiar, but he had no idea what the hell she was talking about. Suzu let go of his cheeks, to his relief.

"You know… it's legendary! The inexplicable bond, two souls that are connected by destiny, one's masculine, the other's feminine… but they're actually one soul, often mistaken for soul-mates, but not actually because you know, you're my other half so it'd be catastrophic because we're practically exactly alike. It'd be like dating myself." Suzu burst out excitedly, waving her hands in the air. "I can't believe I didn't realize it before. But… we're not Angels… so how can we be…"

"Who knows?" Shuichi groaned out loud. "We answered some questions, only to get more questions. It never ends!"

"This is great. It finally makes sense." Suzu had a wide grin on her face. "You're my other half, dummy."

Despite being insanely confused, Shuichi couldn't help but smile back. "Proud to be your twin, dummy." The two of them instantly pounded fists.

"Twins? Jeez… I coulda figured that out on my own." Tiril crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "Why'd _he_ have to ask Raziel anyway? The answer's so obvious." Then his jaw dropped open. If he had a mirror, he'd be staring at himself in shock. "Okay, now I'm just starting to freak myself out."

"If I had any drugs I'd be taking them by now." Shuichi grumbled to himself. He was starting to get one giant headache. It was too much information and not enough time to process it all. Enough was enough. "Okay, I think we've all spilled enough secrets for today. Let's all stop talking. For a week."

"He's fucking brilliant." Suzu grabbed Tiril and kissed him on the top of his head. "I tell ya, this kid never lets us down! Raziel, of course! I mean, who better to ask than the Angel of Mysteries!"

"Can we skip training for the day?" Shuichi whined. "It's been an emotional day for all of us. I just want to-"

"Yeah, let's take a nap." Suzu released Tiril, who was squirming playfully. "I'm beat. I don't know about the rest of you, but yea… there's nothing wrong with a little afternoon nap."

"I agree!" Tiril piped up cutely. The three of them were in their own little world. They didn't notice the pensive, almost hurt expression on Apollyon's face.

* * *

The very next afternoon, things were finally somewhat back to normal. Not that they had ever actually been normal, by regular standards, but the day had started like it always had. Suzu went out to get breakfast, Shuichi and Tiril goofed off while waiting, and Apollyon sat there thinking. Once Suzu came back with the food, they all settled down to a rather hearty meal. But Apollyon had an agenda. He still wanted his question to be answered.

"How did you know Kizura was coming?" Apollyon studied Shuichi closely. _Things are becoming more complicated and yet simpler… Does she really have so much power over the other Angels?_

"Umm… a dream." Shuichi blushed slightly, hoping that Apollyon wouldn't press further. But it was _Apollyon_; of course he would. And if he didn't, then Suzu or Tiril would.

"Oh come on, dummy. You can do better than that!" Suzu laughed out loud.

"He can't tell us." Tiril cocked his head to one side. "Not sure why."

"Because of Horobosu… if he could poison your mind without _ANY_ of us knowing, I can't risk giving up my… messenger. She's going to help me defeat him." Shuichi bravely looked Apollyon in the eye. "So no matter how many times you ask, I _won't_ say a word." He couldn't explain it, but there was this distance between them now. He used to feel so close to the Angel, but now he almost felt nothing. Or was it that he felt so strongly about Suzu and Tiril that his love for Apollyon just couldn't compare and faded in the gap? It almost made him feel sad, in a way.

"I see." Apollyon replied, but everyone could sense his disapproval.

"It's about time you started thinking ahead." Suzu teased lightly and Tiril burst into giggles. "And I'm not surprised that your friend is girl. Behind every strong man there's a stronger woman!" A chill went down her spine as she said those words, but she ignored it. After all, it meant nothing… didn't it?

"She _is_ stronger. And she came up with a plan to defeat Horobosu. I can tell you guys about _that_, if you want." Shuichi proposed musingly.

"Aren't you worried about Horobosu listening in on our conversation?" Tiril blinked slowly.

"Even if he does, it won't matter. Think of it as-" Shuichi broke off, glancing meaningfully at Suzu for a second. "-putting on a play… and the final act is going to be a surprise."

"I'm ready to hear Acts I, II, and III!!!" Tiril chirped up gleefully, going along with the boy's analogy. "Is there going to be an intermission?"

"Nope." Shuichi smirked devilishly.

"You seem confident. I like it." Suzu had a matching grin on her face, as if she had been inspired by his attitude. "I'll tell you what, Shu. If you manage to pass my Grandma's test, I'll tell you how Zion and I got together."

"Have you really been married for seven hundred years???" Shuichi burst out instantly. The question had been on his mind for almost a day. He _had_ to know.

"Six hundred and eighty-seven to be exact… but seven hundred sounds better, doesn't it?" Suzu stuck her tongue out at Shuichi. "I'm just rounding off."

"Suzu, you've got yourself a deal! I can't wait to hear about it!" Shuichi stuck his hand out towards the dog demon. They shook hands excitedly. He then began to tell them of Persephone's plan excitedly. He felt as if he was on top of the world. Finally, things seemed to be going his way…

* * *

Five full days had passed since Kizura's visit. The sky was beginning to darken, signaling the oncoming night. Shuichi and Suzu were training, Tiril was meditating inside the barrier, and Apollyon was refereeing the fight between the two beings. They had been sparring for over three hours, nonstop.

Suzu growled at Shuichi in an almost feral way. Her body was drenched with sweat, as was his. Her purple eye flashed red for a nanosecond and she raced at Shuichi again, ready to attack. She held her hand back and it became inflamed. She leapt forward, ready to punch Shuichi's lights out, when the half-demon beckoned for his blade and it materialized just in time for him to block her blow.

Shuichi grinned to himself as he jumped back a bit, putting some space in between the both of them. He had no idea how he managed to summon the Blade of Lamentations two days ago, but he sure wasn't complaining. He had been in the middle of fighting Suzu, when it had just randomly appeared in his hands. Since that moment, he could effortlessly summon the blade at will. And that was what they had been practicing since then; him calling the Blade of Lamentations.

"Amazing…" Suzu wiped her forehead, flashing a grin at Shuichi. "It has to be some byproduct of the summoning scroll. I can feel some kind of weird energy every time you summon the sword."

"_Because you are so young, your soul cannot handle all the power you are about to receive. Unlike your predecessor, your summoned beings will appear through a medium, a weapon of your choice."_ Shuichi jumped in the air, looking left and right, looking for the source of the voice. Those words were NOT his own and he didn't recognize the voice either. And it wasn't Persephone who had just spoken in his head. Was it… was it a memory? But then, who had spoken to him? Who had explained what would happen to him? And most importantly, _why_ did he forget it?

"Is there… is there some kind of deity you meet after you get the scroll?" Shuichi asked carefully, a pensive look overtaking his features.

"Uh yeah… but I don't think we're supposed to talk about it. Well, I never did and neither did my Grandma." Suzu shrugged, giving Shuichi a weird look. "Why?"

"I think I just heard its voice in my head. It said that my summons will appear through a medium." Shuichi lifted the Blade of Lamentations higher in the air. "I think… I think this is my medium."

And with that, the blood red symbols that had been engraved onto the blade began shining brightly, as if responding to his words. The ghostlike eye started to move around sporadically and Shuichi almost dropped the sword in shock. The light the hieroglyphics were giving off literally rose up from the sword and began swirling around rapidly above his head. Following nothing but sheer instinct, Shuichi held the sword by the blade just underneath its hilt and lifted it higher in the air, towards the light. The light instantly reacted and shot right into the hilt.

Shuichi brought the Blade of Lamentations closer to his body and studied it carefully. His eyes widened upon noticing a significant difference. A golden stone had been embedded into the weapon's hilt. The eye finally stopped moving around and settled for staring into the distance. So now there was a golden stone on one side of the hilt and the ever mobile eye on the other. He knew exactly what the gold stone was and what it represented.

"You guys…" Shuichi looked up and found Suzu staring at him intently. "It's time. It's going to happen tonight." Tiril immediately stood up, ceasing his mediation. Apollyon stiffened slightly; he could practically feel the danger in the air. Tiril dissipated the barrier and put his brooch back on. When had the sky gotten so dark? No it wasn't just that… it was something more.

"It's almost story-time, Suzu." Tiril smiled as he walked towards her, trying to mask some of the fear he felt. While he wasn't in any immediate danger, he still felt nervous. He hadn't seen Horobosu since the demon had taken off his wing. It hadn't exactly been a pleasant experience. So naturally… he was scared.

"Can't wait to tell you how I met my hubby!" Suzu winked at the Fallen. Shuichi jumped in the air towards her and landed onto the sand two feet away. Apollyon flew in the air to the trio and stood behind Tiril.

Shuichi took a deep breath. _I can do this. I can do this. I can defeat Horobosu without endangering my friends. And I'm not doing this for Kizura… I'm doing this for me. It's time for me to face my fear. And I know I can. I know I can do this!_ The half-demon thought encouragingly. _I'm strong… and I have Persephone. I'm not alone… I'm never alone!_ That fact gave him strength… that and the fact that Yuki was somewhere… thinking of him, maybe even _worrying_ about him. _I'll be seeing you soon, Yuki..._

"The moon is quite visible tonight." Apollyon commented after a while. It was too quiet. Hell was never this quiet. Shuichi casually looked up and his jaw dropped open. Quite visible? The moon was so big and so full it looked as if it were going to drop from the sky and crash to the earth they stood upon! He had never seen a full moon look that way before. And it looked… brighter. It wasn't gray.

"You don't normally see the moon here in Hell." Suzu frowned slightly, her body tensing up. Something was definitely happening. Her survival instincts were kicking in, the kind that made a bird flee its habitat right before a hurricane.

"The moon sure was bright when Raphael and Mary left." Tiril reminded them. "But it wasn't orange. Shuichi, why is the moon orange?"

"I… have no idea." But Shuichi was lying. He could think of one and only one possible explanation. Suzu stared up at the bright orange moon. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen such a sight.

"It's just like my eyes!" Tiril grinned happily.

"Yeah… this may or may not be a bad thing." Suzu replied.

"It's a bad omen." Apollyon proclaimed gravely. "It's somewhat normal for beings to see an orange moon… in the realms of the living. We are in Hell. The moon does not orbit these lands."

"It's true… we never see the moon here. What the hell is going on?!?" Suzu's jaw dropped open, her voice rising a few octaves.

"It is the advent of your death." A chillingly familiar voice spoke up out of nowhere. Shuichi's heart skipped a beat. How did none of them sense he was coming? It was Horobosu! The group whirled around, only to see Horobosu… and an infinite number of zombies standing a few hundred feet away.

* * *

**So there you go, the first 16 pages!! If you noticed any mistakes, please inform me! I'm working on Chapter 38 Part 2: Like a Woman Scorned right now. Chapter 38 in its entirety has 25 pages as of today. I would like to have it finished relatively soon, possibly over the weekend. But I'm not making any promises lol, my family's coming over for July 4th weekend, fireworks, bbq, work (unfortunately), etc. **

**Part 2 will have to wait until I'm back from vacation. I really tried to finish this chapter before I had to go, but it just didn't work out. And I didn't want to rush it and give you guys a crappy chapter. So you'll have to wait a bit longer before you can read the end. I apologize.**

**P.s. Please continue to vote on names for Ayaka & Hiroshi's daughter! Here's what we have so far:**

**A. Delphine - 1**

**B. Audrina - 2**

**C. Dahlia - 2**

**D. Autumn **

**E. (Any name of your choice) Lorelei, Minaka, and Aki are some of the names that you wonderful readers have come up with! If none of these strike your fancy, give me another option!**


	50. Chapter 38 Part 2: Like a Woman Scorned

**Hello. First and foremost, this battle was inspired by the song Papercut, by Linkin Park. I've known how Horobosu was going to die for quite some time now thanks to LP and it's a relief to finally have this chapter finished. While writing, I played "Duck and Run" by 3 Doors Down when I focused on Shuichi and "Duel of the Fates" from Star Wars while describing other parts of the battle. **

**I'm back from vacation! I went to Turks and Caicos last week and just got back on Monday. I finished this tonight and I'm quite proud of it haha. I read Eragon and Eldest while I was down there. They are both so good!!! My friend is going to lend me the 3rd one, which I am quite excited about. I'm actually going to watch the movie on my computer after I post this, although I heard it's pretty bad. I still want to see it though. I'll probably end up criticizing it, but a movie is a movie. Speaking of movies, I went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter with one of my friends. It kind of pissed me off that they changed and cut out so much, but overall, it was very good! They better not change/cut out things in Deathly Hallows... especially since they're making two of them. In my ideal world, both of those movies would be a minimum of 3 hours long. Lol wow I'm ranting now. Sorry. **

**Not gonna lie, one of the scenes in this chapter actually brought tears to my eyes as I wrote it. And I must give credit where it's due: Paris Michael Katherine Jackson partially inspired my tearjerker scene. She literally had me sobbing on my couch during the memorial service. The pain of losing a parent at such a young age is something I cannot even begin to comprehend. I wish those children the best. In another scene, I also used lines from Edgar Allan Poe's "Annabel Lee". I don't own that poem. (I put the excerpt in bold.) So... enjoy!! It's 23 pages long I believe. If I made any mistakes, kindly inform me! :) **

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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: (Part 2)

_**LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED

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"His arm!!" Tiril was the first to react, pointing to the demonic illusionist. Everyone followed the direction of his finger… straight to the source. And he certainly had cause to be surprised. For Horobosu now had a metal appendage, in place of the one Shuichi had cut off. But it was no ordinary arm. It had been formed to extend from the shoulder to the elbow (with normal anatomy in mind)… and then it widened into a silver blade. So instead of a forearm, complete with a wrist and fingers… there was a huge, wide sword that would probably decapitate them.

"You just _had_ to cut it off, didn't you?" Suzu rolled her eyes, in spite of the situation. The orange moon seemed to make the zombies more restless. They were already dancing around under the eerie moonlight, their eyes glowing and their hair swaying about.

"I pray you never lose your sense of humor. It's quite refreshing, especially at a time like this." Apollyon uttered sarcastically, the feathers on his black wings blowing with the cool breeze.

"You love me." Suzu shrugged, her purple eye twinkling with amusement. Shuichi shook his head, reminded of how much he loved his friends at that moment.

"Ah yes… you think you have nothing to fear?" Horobosu began walking towards them. The zombie army behind him immediately ceased their dancing and started staggering in the same direction. There didn't seem to be anything special about them. They were just normal, mindless zombies… well as normal as zombies could be. But still, it would take a while to defeat all of them. And with Horobosu there, it most likely wouldn't be easy. "You will all meet your demise tonight."

"Hey, know-it-all… how many zombies?" Suzu turned to Tiril expectantly.

"Umm… eight-hundred and fifty." Tiril cocked his head to one side.

"Shit." Suzu replied, her purple eye turning red. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for? Let's do this!" In response, Tiril's orange eyes turned red, he grew fangs, and he released his solitary wing. It stood out majestically, beating like an ominous drum. Shuichi had to hold back his wince… the guilt was still there, like a wound that wouldn't heal. And he knew that on some level he would always carry this guilt with him… and for good reason. But now wasn't the time for guilt, it was the time for battle. He had to push the guilt back into the recesses of his heart.

Apollyon began gathering his energy, preparing his attack. Multiple fireballs formed over each of his outstretched fingers. Shuichi held the Blade of Lamentations close to him. Suzu's fingernails grew into claws and she lowered her body to the ground, arching her back as if she were a dog ready to howl.

"Is that the _real_ Horobosu?" Shuichi demanded, turning his head to stare at the Fallen Angel. _I'm not going to make the same mistake twice…_

"Yes… it is." Tiril nodded his head confidently. This wasn't an illusion.

"In that case, have fun with the zombies." Shuichi smirked at his companions as he dashed off towards Horobosu. He wouldn't let that bastard hurt his friends any more. _Persephone… I'm not going to run away from him._ They both knew he had been running, running away from the truth, running away from the nightmares, running away from his guilt… and he couldn't run anymore.

Horobosu was a vindictive monster. He had taken Tiril's wing and half the boy's physical powers, he had poisoned Suzu and nearly killed her; _enough_ was _enough_. Horobosu hated him, rightfully so, because he had killed Ramechi. Yes, it was wrong, yes he deserved punishment. He had to accept his punishment with dignity and acceptance. But his friends did _not_ deserve to be punished for his sins. That was where Horobosu went wrong. Because no matter what mistakes he made, no one could justify hurting his friends in return. It wasn't right.

"You continue to surprise me boy… making yourself vulnerable before me. You cannot escape your punishment. You will die here, in this desert. Alone." Horobosu held his metal arm out, the attached sword ready to cut him down.

"I'm not going to die… and I'm _**NEVER**_ alone!" Shuichi shouted out, holding his own sword in both hands. Horobosu raced at the half-demon, his blade swiping in the air sporadically. Shuichi increased his pace as well. Finally, the two met on the cold, coarse sand, the only light coming from the orange moon above them. They began exchanging heavy blows, the clashing of the metal resonating through the desert. Despite the fact that it was a relatively new appendage, Horobosu navigated his metal arm quite proficiently. It took a lot of energy just to parry the demon's attacks. But Shuichi was no pushover either… every attack Horobosu attempted, the boy reciprocated, armed with fervor and justice and rage. He _would_ win.

_I don't believe it…_ Suzu stole a quick look at Shuichi. She didn't know where her twin had found this inner strength, but she loved it! She could feel his anger that fueled every strike and it spurred her on, gave her confidence in him and herself. Her eyes flaming red, the female dashed at the zombies on all fours, primal energy overtaking her sense of reason. Upon reaching the zombies, she began tearing through them with her claws, blue zombie blood splashing against the rough sand. She heard a faint stomping sound, but attributed it to the zombies and ignored it.

Apollyon flew in the air towards the zombies. Once he had immersed himself in a sea of the gruesome creatures, he began blasting them with fireballs. He would occasionally look over at Tiril and Shuichi to make sure they were okay (there was on point in worrying about Suzu; she was simply too strong to worry about).

Tiril began forming green and orange energy blasts. It was twice as hard to do so now, but he was still able to. The amount of energy it took to release the barrier hadn't changed at all, thank goodness. He looked up at the moon, pondering its similarity to his eyes. Usually, when he looked at the sun he felt powerful, because of Raphael. But this time, he wanted to feel powerful for _himself_, by himself. Tiril didn't realize it, but his eyes began glowing dark blue, the red gone.

A strong wind blew through the sand, rotating the particles, whispering warnings to the enemy. A tall, black, dense cloud appeared in the night sky, but no one perceived it, as it blended in with the sky and all sentient beings were basically preoccupied with the battle that was taking place. No one saw that it was slowly lowering toward the ground, growing and expanding and changing its shape. If anyone had looked up to the skies, they would have seen the beginnings of a funnel.

The Fallen Angel braced himself and began attacking the nearby zombies with his energy blasts. Tiril didn't want to risk actual flight and instead leapt into the air and used his wing to glide about. He released the barrier when he needed to and retracted it just as fast. Despite not being as powerful as before, his determination and will made up for his lack of a second wing.

The zombies were weak, much weaker than him. But as always, strength in numbers was an issue. And they certainly had numbers on their side. Tiril, however, refused to give up. He kept on attacking as many zombies as he could, detonating his energy blasts left and right, his trusty barrier appearing and vanishing within seconds, electrocuting his opponents with ease. The stomping noise grew louder and the ground began to quiver under the noise. As if in response to the noise, the wind grew even louder and more powerful, blowing the sand around.

Suzu froze for a nanosecond, jumping into the air to survey her surroundings. She caught sight of the gigantic cumulonimbus cloud and her red eyes widened. She then stole a quick look at Tiril and then it clicked. _Hmm… I guess I was wrong. There __is__ something that connects him to Raphael. _The dog demon grinned, flashing her fangs. It was certainly going to be an interesting night. She then continued to give the zombies her full attention. After all, it was quite rude to kill things and not pay attention to them whilst doing so… was it not?

* * *

Shuichi was heavily engrossed in his duel with Horobosu. So far, the demon hadn't tried any illusions yet, which had confused the boy somewhat. He had been expecting to see his deepest fears by now or at least _something_ out of the ordinary. It seemed as though for now he would have to settle for facing Horobosu and nothing more. For once, the boy had no problem with settling. He didn't want any visions.

Shuichi blocked Horobosu's relentless attacks and jumped in the air to avoid a rather crushing blow. Horobosu dove up after him, his blade aimed at Shuichi's head. The half-demon prepared his weapon to deter the oncoming attack… but he didn't see Horobosu's other arm on the move. The demon rapidly pulled his sword back, causing Shuichi to freeze in surprise. His slow reaction was all the time Horobosu needed. The demon's fist planted itself right into Shuichi's left cheek.

Shuichi's body was instantly thrown to the ground from the force of Horobosu's punch. He made sure to maintain a strong grip on the Blade of Lamentations and he plummeted to the sand below. The boy was immediately surrounded by zombies. He jumped to his feet, slashed through as many as he could, and looked around for Horobosu. He spotted the demon flying straight at him. The teen angrily spat on the ground, saliva and blood flying a few inches away.

Shuichi's eyes widened and he stole a quick look at the fluid on the ground. The entire time, he had been relying on his swordsmanship, which to be honest, wasn't all that great. His greatest ally always had been and always would be water. How could he have forgotten something so important? Yes, having a powerful sword was amazing and it was cool… but nothing could beat the power he wielded when water answered his call. Water was his best comrade and it always would be.

With a smirk on his face, Shuichi began imagining all the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in the air. They belonged to him and he would do with them what he wished. _Like Suzu said… its back to basics._ The pink-haired teen held his sword close to him, ready to face Horobosu's attack. _Let's drown that sucker! _And with that, Shuichi rapidly formed his icy disk and dove into the air towards his adversary. He could see shadowy figures in the distance and became slightly worried. What was approaching them now? More zombies… or something worse? But they were still relatively far away. He had other things to worry about.

Horobosu increased his speed, his arm-sword eager to mutilate him. Shuichi's grip on his blade tightened and he intensified his concentration, imagining millions of molecules of water trailing after him. A huge wave, an enormous wave was forming behind him. It rose and ascended as Shuichi flew higher in the air towards Horobosu. The demon's eyes widened in disbelief… the wave would surely knock him to the ground. And possibly rip off his fake arm.

Horobosu turned around and started flying away, but it was too late. Shuichi rose higher in the air and allowed his monstrous wave to pass him. The wave soared through the air and broke right on top of Horobosu. The water crashed to the ground, after falling several hundred feet, creating a round crater upon impact, with Horobosu's body right in the middle of it. Zombies were literally washed away.

Shuichi began flying to Horobosu's body, which was floating in his water. With the same smirk on his face, Shuichi froze all the water, effortlessly trapping the demon in thick ice. As he was descending towards Horobosu, Shuichi stiffened at the sound of Suzu's scream. She had called Tiril's name. The half-demon instantly whirled around and looked for the Fallen. Upon discovering Tiril's location, he was momentarily shocked and found himself shouting the boy's name, too.

Tiril was standing a few hundred feet away, away from the zombies. The shadowy figures Shuichi had caught sight of before were quickly approaching the boy. But Tiril stood before them with his head upright, his black wing arched, his back straight, arms crossed over his chest, and his fists clenched. It was another army of zombies… but these were different than the ones they were fighting now. They were the "steroid" zombies, as Suzu had aptly named them, the gargantuan zombies with the ugly, thick wings and the bulky muscles. An entire army of them was headed straight for the boy… and he wasn't moving an inch. The wind began to howl loudly, whipping the sand around in circles.

"Tiril move!!" Shuichi cursed to himself and started flying towards him.

Suzu caught sight of Shuichi's movements and began running at Tiril as well. Apollyon, however, glanced at the ominous cloud that was quickly elongating from the sky to the ground and stayed put. He had seen Raphael fight… and he could surely tell what was going on. The Angel of Hell continued on fighting the zombies.

_I'm not going to make it… Tiril!!_ Shuichi mentally screamed.

* * *

Tiril scowled at the looming zombies. The last time he faced them, they had beaten him to the ground. They had weakened him, defeated him. But this time, he would defeat them. He would fight and he would win. So that was why as soon as he discovered what was coming towards them, he had glided to the area and waited for them to come to him. And they were certainly coming fast.

Tiril took a deep breath, feeling air enter his chest. He exhaled slowly, extracting the air from his body. _The wind belongs to me._ The Fallen Angel declared simply. He looked up at the bright orange moon, its light holding his attention for a second. His dark blue eyes then became fixated with the vast cloud that was above him. As though being unconsciously commanded by the Fallen, the cumulonimbus cloud with the funnel-shaped tail completely extended to the ground, becoming a full-fledged black tornado. The wind began screaming in excitement.

Tiril then turned his head to focus on the oncoming zombies. The huge tornado began spinning around furiously, picking up sand and debris wherever it went. It rapidly rotated towards the huge zombies. Some of them tried to fly away, beating their heavy wings in the air. But the wind ferociously pushed against all who tried to escape and they plunged back to the sand, in the direction of the tornado.

The Fallen glared at the zombies, an unyielding look in his eyes. The tornado instantly picked up speed and blew right through the approaching army. The beefy fiends were all sucked into the huge tornado. It passed through the desert, swallowing each and every one up, tearing their bodies into minuscule pieces and leaving them to be buried underneath the sand. When the deed was done, the tornado ceased its twisting and the funnel began rising up into the air until all that remained was a big, lone, dense cloud that loomed about in the night sky. Tiril had not moved an inch; had not lifted a finger. He had done it all with his _mind_.

_He might have lost a wing… but he gained a new, stronger ability… _Suzu smirked proudly, turning back around and diving towards the zombies that remained. _He's like that blind superhero that can hear really well._ Shuichi halted in his tracks and his eyebrows rose. It seemed as though all that mediation had paid off. Shrugging slightly, the half-demon did a flip in the air and headed to Horobosu. Tiril himself snorted at the zombies' remains that laid before him (the pieces he could actually see), whirled around, and raced back to the other zombies.

Apollyon inwardly shook his head. _He is certainly his Father's son._ The boy had displayed such cool confidence, a distinct confidence that could only be found in he who had mastered his element. It was almost frightening in a way. The Angels had made a mistake, banishing the son of an Archangel from Heaven. They could have had an exceptionally strong warrior if they had kept him.

Tiril, in terms of abilities, was basically an unrestrained version of Raphael himself. Did the Angels really want someone with the same capabilities as an Archangel roaming the realms, not held accountable by _their_ laws and regulations? Clearly, foresight had not been taken into consideration during his sentencing.

Raphael wasn't to be feared because he usually controlled himself. He rarely demonstrated his power. The Archangel was held back by the bureaucracy of Heaven. He had duties and responsibilities; he had an image to uphold, a reputation to live up to. But Tiril, _he_ had the potential to be feared. If he stayed with Shuichi, he would be fighting in many battles, displaying his rare talents. And when the boy finally remembered his past, it would only increase the rift between him and Heaven. The Fallen had nothing holding him back from fully embracing his powers. And in this case, if things continued on like this… the son might surpass the father.

The Angel of Hell frowned slightly as he burnt a zombie's body to a crisp. If Tiril surpassed Raphael in the future, Heaven would see him as a threat and attempt to eliminate him. And the worst part was… there didn't seem to be anything that could be done to stop it. It was a slippery slope, the outcome was-

"Apollyon, what the hell are you thinking about?" Suzu growled out from a few feet away, breaking the Angel's concentration. "In case you've forgotten, we're in the middle of a battle here! And you have a quota to fulfill!"

"Yes, I apologize." Apollyon nodded his head once, clearing his head of his weighty thoughts. Now was not the time for such things. Blood was to be spilt.

* * *

Shuichi soared at Horobosu, who was trying to break through the ice. As soon as the half-demon neared Horobosu, the unthinkable happened. Horobosu roared loudly and his energy whirred about him, shattering all the ice that held him prisoner. Shards of ice were shot into the air towards him, which Shuichi immediately melted into water. The demon dove up in the air swiftly, slashing angrily at Shuichi, drawing blood. The boy recovered from his surprise (and slight pain) and put more force into his blocks, but also concentrated on the broken ice that had remained on the ground. He could use it.

Shuichi and Horobosu spun around in the air, desperately trying to land a blow on each other. Their arms were constantly moving and turning and reaching. The half-demon leapt in the air, did a somersault on his icy disk, and continued on striking at Horobosu. Horobosu snarled and suddenly… there were _five_ of him.

_Two can play that game!_ Shuichi responded by forming ten water clones of himself. It didn't matter if Horobosu knew which one of him was real. The obvious problem was: one Horobosu was hard enough. Shuichi couldn't possibly take five on at once (at least now anyway). It was suicide.

The two groups raced at each other, swords and arm-blades shining in the night air. Shuichi put himself in the middle of all his clones. The illusionist would no doubt attempt to attack him and _only_ him. _I wish I had Tiril… he'd be able to tell me which one is real. _But just as Shuichi wasn't allowed to endanger Suzu, the half-demon had promised himself that he wouldn't endanger Tiril as well. He had to learn to fight his own battles.

Shuichi began fighting a nearby Horobosu. After exchanging a few blows, he was able to deduce that the illusions were no weaker than the real thing. Or maybe he was fighting the _real_ Horobosu… he would never know.

While slashing at the current Horobosu, Shuichi also started concentrating on the shards of ice that were on the damp sand below, commanding his clones to do so as well. The numerous ice shards zipped up through the air and began impaling nearby enemies. Shuichi took a quick look around and grinned. Despite his almost perfect aim, the Horobosu he was fighting was the only one that was completely unscathed. This demon was the only one that dodged all of his attacks. He also noted that three of his clones had been destroyed and instantly replaced them.

The demon grinned widely, as if realizing Shuichi's thoughts. It began to slash harder and harder at him, until Shuichi found himself moving backwards from the force of the attacks. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to parry the demon's hits. Then Shuichi watched with horror as Horobosu's _other_ arm turned into an arm-blade, completely identical to the first. He had to try to block two deadly weapons and quite frankly, it wasn't easy; he wasn't fast enough. Cuts and gashes began to appear on Shuichi's arms.

_I'm fighting an illusion… that means the real Horobosu is-_ Shuichi broke off as pain burst throughout his body… real pain. He looked down and saw Horobosu's blade sticking out of his stomach. Horobosu's other hand had grasped his head tightly by his hair. Shuichi dropped his sword screaming, enveloped in shock and pain. He coughed up blood, his vision swimming. His head was pounding from the force of Horobosu's grip.

"Welcome to your nightmare… your friends won't help you. If they happen to look up, all they'll see is another illusion of mine, previous snapshots of our battle, with some minor editing of course. We wouldn't want them to see the same thing three times, now would we? They would become quite suspicious." Horobosu whispered caustically into Shuichi's ear, jerking his blade around at the same time, the blade that was still nestled inside Shuichi's abdomen. The boy let out a loud scream of pain. He was pretty sure the demon had just ripped through some of his intestines with that little maneuver. And it _hurt_.

"I've been waiting a long time for this. My brother actually made up this attack… the brother you killed. I thought it was suitable to use his strategy against you. You see, you distract the enemy with an illusion, creating multiple copies of yourself." Horobosu paused to twist his arm-blade once more and Shuichi cried out again. "Ah… music to my ears… now where was I? Oh yes, then you give the enemy an opportunity to 'reveal' the real adversary, to make them believe in their abilities and create false confidence and distract them further. Oh, would you scream for me once more?" Another vicious rotation and tears were streaming down Shuichi's cheeks, but he refused to scream again. He _wouldn't_ give him that satisfaction.

"Being naughty are we? I suppose it's alright… after all you're _dying_; I suppose some amount of rebellion is in order. Because who really wants to die anyway? Oh… I must apologize, I keep getting sidetracked. After you trick your idiotic opponent, you come up behind him or her and simply impale them from behind. In Ramechi's case, he would use his tail. And I never saw the point in using this attack; I thought it useless and tiresome.

"But after his death, I thought to myself… what better way to dispose of a murderer, than through his victim's trademark attack? And it is quite easy to execute, especially since I am _much_ stronger than my brother. It was also quite easy to fool you, because not only are you a _complete_ idiot, but I have been inside your mind before and…" Horobosu halted briefly to dig his nails into Shuichi's scalp. "I can't wait to return." And with that, Shuichi blacked out.

* * *

It was warm. Shuichi was lying on something warm. Moaning slightly, the half-demon slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on soft, green grass. Shuichi sat up, rubbing his eyes. He felt as if he had been asleep for a long time. The boy was in a vast green field, with no beginning and no end. There was just green grass all around him and a blue sky up above him.

"There you are! Where were you?" Shuichi froze and all but scrambled to his feet, turning around. A blonde boy stood before him, with dazzling gold eyes. The blonde couldn't have been older than twelve. He was dressed in regal clothing, obviously someone of importance. And his voice… it was familiar. Where had he heard that voice before? But Shuichi had never seen this boy before… had he?

"I-I'm sorry. I think I feel asleep." Shuichi smiled sheepishly. "Er… sorry. What's your name again?"

"Are you serious?" The blonde gave Shuichi a look. "Yuki, remember? You're supposed to be guarding me while my Father talks with his guest."

"Oh. Oh wow, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep on the job." Shuichi grinned sheepishly. Yuki… now where had he heard that name before? It seemed so important. Yuki continued to stare at him as if he had three heads. "So… what do you want to do now?"

"Well, there's nothing to do here." Yuki rolled his golden eyes.

"Let's just talk then!" Shuichi grinned widely. "Tell me about yourself."

"I'm the Devil's son. What more is there to know?" Yuki narrowed his eyes flatly at the half-demon.

"Well jeez… someone lacks personality." Shuichi pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine then! I won't tell you anything about me either!"

"Good. We're not supposed to get close anyways. You're just supposed to watch me and keep me out of danger." Yuki sniffed indignantly. "I hope you can at least do that."

"E-excuse me?" Shuichi sputtered, his jaw dropping with shock.

"Let's see you do something. Or better yet… let's see if you _can_ do something." Yuki grinned at Shuichi… but it wasn't a caring smile. It was the type of smile a predator gave to its prey. A bunch of zombies appeared out of nowhere, standing behind Yuki. They began dancing around him menacingly.

"W-what are you doing?" Shuichi squawked in shock, backing away from Yuki. This was wrong. Something was wrong.

"You're useless. You can't protect anyone." Yuki uttered coldly, stepping aside, allowing the zombies to move forward. Each of his words cut deeply in Shuichi and he didn't know why. He didn't know who this Yuki was. Why did it hurt so much? "I was right to abandon you. You have no place by my side."

Silent tears began streaming down Shuichi's face. He could feel his heart breaking in two. He didn't realize it but the zombies were almost upon him. And then… and then Yuki said the worst thing of all: "I wish I had never met you at all, you _filthy_ half-breed." And with that, Shuichi fell to the floor, held his head in his hands and began to scream wildly. He could feel the zombies covering him and then-

* * *

Shuichi woke up on top of a huge, white bed. It was so comfortable and nice and it smelled delightful. He was in a beautifully decorated, but feminine room. It seemed familiar to him, but he wasn't quite sure why. His ears were ringing and his throat felt somewhat raw. Then, he heard shouting and an explosion coming from elsewhere. The half-demon yelped and instinctively jumped to the floor, sliding underneath the bed, breathing heavily. Upon inspecting the large area, he saw a small box filled with books, a flashlight, and various toys.

Shuichi began flipping through the book, absentmindedly turning the pages, all the while wondering what was going on, where he was, and more importantly, _why_ he was even there in the first place. He couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly confused. He felt as if he had been here before, but he couldn't have been. But he could tell that something was horribly wrong, something bad was going to happen.

Shuichi froze as fifteen demons entered the room, snarling angrily. They began searching the room, grumbling about how who they had to kill. _Who do they want to kill? _Shuichi gulped, already knowing that he was on their death list. But who else were they looking for? Just as the teen thought the demons were going to give up, another one appeared. Shuichi's heart dropped to his stomach upon feeling the demon's presence. It was familiar, compellingly familiar.

"The boy you seek is under the bed." The demon uttered coldly. All fifteen demons instantly lunged for the bed and were all blown back by an invisible force and killed. "Serves the fools right. _Now then, Shuichi, won't you come out?_" That phrase was used… _that_ phrase. He shrieked as the demon knelt to look at him. The whitish blonde hair, the cold black eyes, the imposing air he had about him, all a completely terrifying package, a package he had received long ago, so long ago.

"My name is Lord Seguchi." Lord Seguchi smiled sinisterly, talking right over Shuichi's screams. "I was assigned to assassinate every living being in this household. I don't usually like killing children, but since you're a half-breed, I'm probably just putting you out of your misery."

"No! No! NO!!!!" Shuichi continued on screaming uncontrollably. "You're dead! Leave me alone! You're dead!!! Get away from me!!!! Go away!!!!"

**"The Angels, not half so happy in Heaven went envying her and me… Yes! That was the reason (as all men know, in this **_**Kingdom by the Sea**_**) that the wind came out of the cloud one night, **_**chilling and killing**_** my Annabel Lee. But our love, it was **_**stronger**_** by far than the love of those who were older than we, of many far wiser than we. And neither the Angels in Heaven, nor the demons down under the sea, can **_**ever**_** dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee."** Lord Seguchi broke off, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I can't seem to remember the rest of the words. I must apologize; it's been a while since I've recited poetry."

Shuichi was breathing heavily, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Leave me alone…" The half-demon whimpered, his soul full of despair. Why was this happening to him? This phantom was attacking his soul, just as someone else had attacked his mind. Because he knew this demon, he had been in this room before, but his memories, his memories were all gone and he couldn't summon them at all. Someone had blocked them. All he knew was what was right in front of him. His only reality was the demon lord before him. But it couldn't be all there was. There had to be more. There had to be more than this.

"You're disgusting. A prostitute? Congratulations Shindou Shuichi… you've partaken in one of the most degrading, dehumanizing, degenerate professions in the history of mankind. You are a testament to how decrepit and disgusting our society has become. That is all you are… a symbol of ignominy, a sign of how far we have fallen. That is _**all**_ you will ever be." Lord Seguchi chuckled brutally and something inside Shuichi broke. He stopped crying and simply stared off into space.

Lord Seguchi uttered a few words and they both heard something shatter. Without warning, Shuichi's body slid forward from underneath the bed. "There's no use in you staying under there, right?" He smiled menacingly. Shuichi stood next to Lord Seguchi, his face emotionally blank. He had accepted his fate. "You will die and you will die _here_ for the crime you have committed."

"Enough." A surprisingly cold voice said from behind them… and with that, Shuichi's awareness returned. This was the day of his mother's death. This was the day everything changed… this was the day Shuichi had forgotten completely because of his amnesia. He had blocked this memory out for so long, only remembering the sound of Lord Seguchi's cold voice, always haunting him in the sheer darkness, always within his deepest, darkest fears. And now it was here before him, in this distorted form, this illusion. Horobosu had been inside Shuichi's mind, because how else would the demon know of this? How had he dug inside the teen's consciousness so deeply as to find a memory that he himself had forgotten a decade ago?

With new tears streaming down his cheeks, Shuichi slowly turned his head. Now he would be forced to watch his mother die again, right in front of him. And she stood there boldly; ready to once again sacrifice her life for him so that he could be safe, so that he could survive. She wore a bloodstained, white dressed that flowed to the floor; was armed with a bow, arrows, and a small, red book. Her long, pink hair, the hair that matched his and her dark, blue eyes that seemed to shine like Crimson's… it was too much. He didn't think he could break again... but he did.

"It didn't work!" Shuichi screamed at her desperately, but it was like she didn't even hear him. "You **died** and for what! Yuki and Ryuichi left me… King Sakuma NEVER came to get me… I was kidnapped and tortured… I don't even know WHAT happened to me because I forgot it all. I forgot _you_! I forgot all about this day! I almost forgot everything… everything…" Even Lord Seguchi didn't reply. It was like he was frozen in time, he was screaming and screaming, but no one could hear him. No one would listen. He was all alone.

Shuichi slowly sunk to the floor, sobbing. He was in so much pain. He just wanted it all to go away. When would this pain end? His life, his entire life had been full of such destruction and such suffering. He was sick of it, he was sick of it all. He wanted this vision to end… he didn't want to see his mother die again… but he wasn't in control, Horobosu was. And somewhere else, somewhere else he was dying and no one would be able to help him…

"Lord Seguchi, step away from my son." Seki narrowed her eyes at the demon lord before her. The female tossed the book towards Shuichi, but it flopped to the floor. He didn't bother trying to catch it.

"You're on the verge of death, Seki. Don't you think you should say your last goodbyes to your son?" Lord Seguchi shook his head. "I suppose you want to die. Very well then." He dove forward and slashed at Seki with his sharp claws.

"Open the book!!" Seki cried out as she shot an arrow at Lord Seguchi, halting him for a moment.

_No… I don't want to… no…_ Shuichi began rocking back and forth, staring at the book fearfully. He knew that she was going to die soon. He didn't want to see it. He couldn't see it again. _I can't lose you again, not again… don't leave me alone!_

Shuichi could only watch with horror as the book opened up on its own, revealing its blank pages. "I seal thee away, thy treacherous demon. I seal thee away to Gehenna for all eternity." Seki closed her eyes and her remaining energy formed a ball around Lord Seguchi. It was going to happen… and he couldn't stop it.

"NO! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!" Both Lord Seguchi and Shuichi voiced their protests. The demon lord's body was transported into the book, which closed as soon as his body went in. Shuichi kept on screaming in, banging on the floor. His mother's arms enveloped him… for the last time. He stopped pounding and simply stayed still. His mother was holding him... and even though it was an illusion, it was real enough for Shuichi. It _felt_ real.

"You're safe, Shuichi, you're safe…" Seki kissed him numerous times and ordered him to open the book again. Her hair curtained around the both of them.

"No, no I won't do it." Shuichi whimpered. "Please, don't die again. Don't leave. You can't die!" Seki opened the book herself.

Seki didn't answer and used one of her arrows to give herself a new wound. Blood dropped onto the open white page and disappeared. She leaned forward to write in the numbers "666" twice in the book, using the arrow's tip as a utensil.

The book glowed and floated away from them. "My son, I love you. Remember: never take off your seal or tell anyone of your last name. You will survive, Shuichi, because your heart is strong. You will survive. You will-" Seki, Shuichi's mother, closed her eyes and her body slumped forward.

Shuichi held his mother's dead body in his arms and shrieked hysterically. She was dead again. Again, he had to deal with the pain of losing her. Her blood was all around him, on him, on the floor. She was everywhere and he was nowhere.

"Mommy! Mommy!!!!!!!!" Shuichi cried out, rocking back and forth again, holding on tightly to Seki. "Why'd you leave me? Why'd you have to go? I miss you so much… I needed you and you weren't there. I needed you to hold me and kiss me and love me. Why weren't you there? Why did you leave me again? I miss you… I'm so alone..."

Shuichi closed his eyes, being in _this_ room, reliving _this_ memory for the first time in a decade… it made him feel nauseous beyond belief. Then, he could feel the darkness creeping up on him. He was going to black out again… and his torture would continue. Horobosu would continue until he died from his physical wounds. The demon would continue to tamper with his memories, taking and giving and warping as he pleased.

"No!! No!!! Not again!!!!!!" Shuichi screamed in vain as his world went black. He couldn't do this again. He never wanted to remember.

* * *

Shuichi was lying in a vast ocean. He was staring up at a calm, peaceful sky. The puffy clouds rolled by lazily, the sun twinkled gently, and there was a slight breeze in the air. He was floating in the cool, turquoise water, the water that met the horizon in the distance, where there was no end and no beginning, where the sky and the sea became one and they became indistinguishable from each other, like intertwined lovers.

Shuichi floated through the water, slowly moving his arms about to steer his body and keep him afloat. The waves gently swayed over and under him, but never crashing down upon him. The sea was relaxed and tender. The half-demon could have lied there forever, thinking about nothing. Here, nothing could hurt him. Here, he was free. He was alone, yes, but just as he had always been alone, he would always _be_ alone. Sometimes it was better to accept one's fate. He was comfortable in his realizations and acknowledged them calmly.

"You shall share the same fate as Annabel Lee. Just as her grave was **'by the sounding sea'**, this will also be your final resting place." Shuichi heard Horobosu's voice coming from behind him. But the half-demon did not stir, did not move. The water was still, so he would be still. "You have nothing more to say, then?" Horobosu sounded amused.

"I killed your brother." Shuichi said simply, his gaze transfixed upon the picturesque skies above him. "I must atone for my sins. If you believe that killing me is the only way to attain retribution… then do what you must."

"You are prepared to die?" Horobosu demanded eagerly.

"Yes, I am." Shuichi replied truthfully. "Are you ready to kill me?"

"I've been ready since the moment I laid eyes on you." Horobosu stated vehemently. Shuichi could feel Horobosu gathering his energy. It was going to happen soon.

Smiling slightly, the half-demon closed his eyes. _I am ready to face death._ Shuichi thought of nothing, because he could not remember much of his life, what he had accomplished and what he hadn't. He only knew that he killed Ramechi, he was running from Horobosu, and now he had finally stopped running. He pushed the water around with his fingers, feeling the cool liquid pass over them.

"Embrace the punishment, for you have sinned. At that moment, I will be with you." Another voice carried over the sea. A female's voice, kind and fair; it was familiar to him and it made Horobosu freeze for a moment. He didn't know who had spoken, but it didn't matter anyways. He was going to die soon.

_It couldn't be…_ Horobosu narrowed his dark eyes, stealing a quick look around. No one else was present in the illusion but him and Shuichi. The vast sea suddenly seemed more threatening to him, despite the fact that he had constructed it. Something was going on. Had the sky always been that dark?

"SHUICHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shuichi's purple eyes widened with shock at the shout. His memories returned in one instant, making him feel as if someone had pounded on his skull with a hammer. The half-demon watched as Suzu appeared a few hundred feet above him in the air. She was falling towards him at a rapid rate and she was holding something, something that was glittering.

Shuichi jumped to his feet, heart beating wildly, just as Suzu landed in the water next to him, sending out a huge splashing wave in all directions. When the water calmed down, Horobosu was nowhere to be found.

"S-Suzu?" Shuichi whispered in awe, tears coming to his eyes. Suzu was holding the Blade of Lamentations in one hand. She used the other to grab Shuichi and pull him close. They hugged for a moment.

"I don't know how the hell I got here, but I know you're getting us out." Suzu let go of Shuichi and gave him his weapon. Shuichi quickly wiped his eyes, looking around for Horobosu.

"I don't think I can… Horobosu has control of everything. This is all his illusion." Shuichi gestured to the ocean they were currently standing on.

"Yeah, this may be _his_ illusion… but it's taking place in _your_ mind. You have the ultimate control." Suzu grinned at the half-demon, putting an arm around his shoulders. "We still have a battle to win, don't we?"

Shuichi took a deep breath. Horobosu had done his best to torture him… and it had worked. But he couldn't think of it now. He had a job to do. So he pushed his pain aside and concentrated on all the water around him. "Hold my hand." The half-demon closed his eyes, reaching out with his free hand. Suzu's hand instantly found his and he inwardly smiled.

_This is my mind. I control it. I __want__ to go back. I __AM __going back._ Shuichi rose the Blade of Lamentations in the air, the tip of the sword glinting. He took all of his sadness, his pain, his loneliness and poured it into his blade. The eye on the hilt began glowing fiercely and the water's waves became rougher. _And this illusion will be broken! _The water roared around them and Shuichi faintly heard Suzu's yelp of surprise as the world around them began to dissipate into oblivion.

* * *

Shuichi woke up with a jolt, gasping deeply. Suzu's arms were wound tightly around him. They were back in the desert and he knew this was no illusion. They were inside the barrier, he was gripping his blade faintly in his hand, and he could see Tiril and Apollyon in the distance, fighting off zombies. But he couldn't see Horobosu, no matter where he looked.

Suzu groaned and woke up, shaking her head around. "Holy shit that was crazy!!!" Her arms dropped to her sides and Shuichi scrambled to his feet, pulling her up also. The orange moon above them appeared to be even bigger and brighter than before… or perhaps it had moved closer to them.

The two of them watched as Tiril formed another huge tornado from the huge cloud up above. It began ripping through the desert, taking up numerous zombies and tearing them into shreds. Apollyon lit the entire tornado on fire and together, the two elements disposed of all the remaining zombies. In a matter of seconds, all their enemies were gone. Apollyon retracted his fire and Tiril released his tornado back into the sky.

Shuichi looked down at his stomach frowning. There was no mortal wound there. It had been healed. "You have my bunny to thank for that one." Suzu lightly punched the half-demon in the shoulder. "Tiril was the first to realize it. He said that it was impossible for your sword to be in two places at once. He saw it on the ground and the eye was flashing. Then we looked up and saw you 'fighting' Horobosu. The three of us flew up towards the illusion, which destroyed it, and then we saw you just lying in the air bleeding. It scared the shit out of me. Horobosu was nowhere to be seen. I think the _real_ Horobosu left after trapping you in the illusion.

"Tiril put up his barrier, Apollyon got your sword, and I summoned my bunny. They went back to keep on fighting the zombies… cuz more of them appeared while you were unconscious. After you were healed, you still didn't wake up and I got worried. The eye was still flashing, so I grabbed onto it and you at the same time. Then I found myself in-" Suzu broke off abruptly as a lone tear trickled down Shuichi's cheek. "What's wrong?"

Shuichi stiffened slightly and viciously wiped his tear away. "After all this is over, I have a story of my own to tell you." His tone was dark and bitter, his grip on the blade tight and fierce. "The story of how my mother was taken from me." And with that, he took Suzu by the arm and literally threw her out of the barrier, his face becoming stone. Horobosu would _die_ for what he had done. For ripping him apart, toying with his memories, making him believe that it was his time to die, for making him give up on life, and making him think that he was alone. It was unforgivable, what Horobosu had done.

Suzu let out a yelp of protest as she landed in the sand. _What the fuck is his problem? _She growled slightly as she rose to her feet, brushing the sand off her.

"Suzu, are you ready to execute the plan?" Shuichi barked out, holding the Blade of Lamentations closer to him. Both the mysterious eye and the golden stone were glowing. It was time. The zombies were gone. Horobosu was the only one left.

"Fine, fine, whatever… but don't throw me next time! I'm not a fucking doll!" Suzu snarled crossly, crouching on the ground. She began to gather up her energy, her purple eyes turning red. Red energy began swirling around her body. Tiril and Apollyon flew over to them (well, Tiril glided).

"Shuichi, are you okay?" Tiril landed clumsily on the ground and scurried over to the barrier. Apollyon stayed where he was.

"Don't come in!" Shuichi cautioned the Fallen. "You know what to do." Tiril looked up at the orange moon. It had gotten even closer. Orange light illuminated the area around them. It was almost blinding.

"Oh… right." Tiril nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating his energy. When he opened his eyes, they were dark blue. He began staring at the barrier intensely, making it stronger and building it up.

"Horobosu! I know you can hear me! Come out of hiding! Let us finish this!" Shuichi shouted out furiously. _He can't bring me down any further… he can't win._ Suzu let out a feral growl as the red energy overtook and transform her body. When it vanished, Suzu was now a huge, black dog with blood red eyes. She let out a long, ominous howl that seemed to echo all around the desert.

"You seem to be adept at escaping death's clutches, boy." Horobosu himself appeared right inside of the barrier. Shuichi smirked to himself. "I know of your foolish plan. I overhead it, just as you thought I would. The Fallen shall strengthen the barrier, trapping the two of us inside. The Angel of Hell shall light the barrier on fire, further hindering any possible escape. The girl shall transform herself into a giant canine. But… for what, I wonder?"

Shuichi let out a laugh and turned around, facing his nemesis for the last time. "I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet. Tell me Horobosu, if I'm such an _idiot_, how is it that you can't solve my puzzle?" The half-demon held the blade towards the demon. Apollyon released all his fire energy that had covered Tiril's tornado and sent it out to cover the barrier. Horobosu and Shuichi were now surrounded by flames. Neither one of them could escape.

Horobosu bristled at Shuichi's words and dashed at the half-demon. He began swiping at Shuichi with his arm-blade, but the teen blocked all of his attacks. Shuichi jumped in the air, held the hilt of the blade towards the sky and bellowed: "**PERSEPHONE!!!!**" The golden stone tore right out of the hilt and shot out of the barrier and into the sky above, taking all of the fire with it.

Horobosu froze in shock and it was all the time Shuichi needed. He began slashing at the demon relentlessly, drawing blood and pouring all his anger and pain into the sword, making it stronger and sharper.

Cerberus, in all his caustic glory, materialized out of nowhere. The huge, three-headed dog stood behind Tiril's barrier and all three heads began howling. Suzu, who was on the opposite side of the barrier, howled along with them. The golden stone shot right into the orange moon above them… and then the moon turned black, causing darkness to envelop the desert. Shuichi leapt out of the barrier. Horobosu tried to follow him, but the barrier electrocuted him from the inside and he fell to the ground.

"You stay right there!" Tiril shouted angrily, concentrating harder to keep Horobosu trapped inside. The black moon started to lower towards the ground. Shuichi stood a few feet below it and waited. Suddenly, loud shrieks resonated all around them. The moon began to warp and change shape. Golden light burst out of the moon and they all watched as the light molded into Persephone herself.

The Jewel of Hell was floating in front of the black moon. Her long, wavy hair flowed about her. Persephone was wearing an elegant, black dress that concealed her feet. Her black eyes gleamed with bloodlust. Her dark dress contrasted with her fair complexion. She reached out with her hand to nothing, or so it seemed. More shrieks sounded through the area. Suzu and Cerberus howled in response.

Apollyon stared at Persephone in shock. _She's supposed to be dead… and he summoned her?_ Fear filled his heart. If Shuichi's first summon was the Devil's late wife, then who else was he capable of summoning? He knew Shuichi was supposed to be strong… but this? It seemed as though Shuichi had literally brought her back to life.

"Horobosu." Persephone finally spoke and the voices shrieked again. "I have waited many years for this moment. I drifted about the desert, searching for someone who might hear me. This boy heard me and consequently, a bond was formed. He became the caller and I, the called. I shall fulfill both our destinies tonight. You **wanted** me Horobosu… and now you will have me, you will have me forever. We shall remain in Saiaku until Hell itself ceases to exist."

Shuichi ran back over to the barrier, his blade at the ready. Tiril nodded his head and retracted his barrier. The half-demon dove at Horobosu, who was still somewhat dazed by Persephone's words. To think, that of all the beings he had killed, Persephone would be the one to annihilate him. It shocked him.

Persephone quickly lowered herself to the ground. "But before we begin," The woman said as Shuichi slashed and slashed at Horobosu, who was feebly blocking back. "I believe Tiril has some words for us." Shuichi's attacks increased in ferocity and he began driving Horobosu towards Persephone.

"Huh?" But even as Tiril said this, his brain was already remembering what he was to say, what he was destined to say ever since Raziel inserted the message into his mind ages ago: _"Facilis est descensus Averni!"_ The moon behind Persephone turned blood red and became a giant hole. Cerberus and Suzu both let out a continuous, feral howl. (Translation: The descent to Hell is easy.)

Apollyon watched with shock as ghastly creatures began appearing in the hole. He then realized that it wasn't a hole; it was a _portal_ into Saiaku. And those _creatures_ were the vermin that resided in it. The dark creatures reached out with long, gnarled fingers gasping and shrieking wildly. They teemed about the surface, most of their bodies hidden by the darkness.

"Those are the remains of all the demons you have slain." Persephone smiled darkly, rising in the air so that she was directly in front of the portal. Shuichi continued on with his assault. Horobosu's dark eyes froze with fear and he began running away from Shuichi.

"You will **NOT** escape!" Shuichi roared with rage, lunged forward with speed he didn't know he had, and thrust the Blade of Lamentations right through Horobosu's chest. The illusionist let out a cry of pain and stopped moving. He wasn't dead of course, but he had been rendered immobile.

"Bring me my prey, Shuichi." Persephone held her hands out. The creatures behind her in the portal began shrieking excitedly.

"As you wish, Persephone." With a mighty swing, Shuichi flung Horobosu's body off of his sword and towards the Jewel of Hell. The demon's body flew right into her waiting arms. Persephone pulled Horobosu close to her body and began to float backwards, towards the portal.

"Thank you for giving me closure. I can only hope that you find your own some day." Persephone nodded at Shuichi, a real smile gracing her lips. The shrieks coming from the portal became louder and wilder.

"You're very welcome." Shuichi nodded back at Persephone, watching as Horobosu began to struggle in Persephone's iron grip. "If you happen to see Lord Seguchi in your travels through Saiaku… give him my best regards."

"I will certainly keep that in mind. Take care of my son, Shuichi." The Jewel of Hell tossed her head at Cerberus and the three-headed dog instantly disappeared. Upon seeing this, in a swirl of red energy, Suzu rapidly changed back into her regular form.

Shuichi held up the silver ring that was on the necklace that he had hidden underneath his shirt. "I will." The half-demon responded simply, a satisfied look in his eyes. Horobosu had been defeated. He would be gone forever.

Persephone entered the portal into Saiaku, dragging Horobosu with her. The portal shone red as soon as they entered it. The last thing they all heard before the portal disappeared was Horobosu's terrified screams as the creatures began to attack him. All that remained after it disappeared was a golden stone. It fell from the air and disintegrated into dust, disappearing among the sand. The desert was frighteningly silent. No one spoke for a while. They all just stood there, breathing heavily.

"It's… it's finally over." Tiril said slowly, tasting the words on his tongue. "I can't believe it… Horobosu is dead! Or at least, as dead as he's ever gonna get."

"Yeah… dead, he's dead." Suzu repeated dumbly, sinking to the ground.

"We have defeated a very powerful demon." Apollyon stated slowly. _But at what cost? What did Shuichi have to endure?_

Horobosu might have been gone, but the pain he had caused would not leave Shuichi for a while. The half-demon let out a sigh as the Blade of Lamentations vanished into the atmosphere. He could feel the tears forming, but forced them away. He couldn't cry now, not now. Now was supposed to be a happy time, a time of celebration, a time of victory whoops and hurrahs.

"So Suzu… how about that story?" Shuichi's voice was hoarse with pain and oncoming tears. He fell to his knees, tears falling from his eyes. Suzu was by his side instantly, holding him and rocking back and forth as he cried on her shoulder. He could tell from her breathing that she was crying too. And so they cried together.

"Now when I was a kid, I was a stubborn little shit. I first met Zion-" Suzu began a few minutes later, wiping her tears away. A deal was a deal, after all.

* * *

**And wow... Horobosu is FINALLY dead. He's terrorized Shuichi for too long... and he earned himself some quality time with Persephone. Next up is our last Intermission of this rather epic story. I'm not sure what the title is yet haha. But it's going to be long... and because of it, I'm changing the rating of this story to M. Once again, if this bothers you, please let me know. However, I am going to work on ****Fixation**** first and then finish Intermission 02. So don't expect an update for a while. I started updating my profile more frequently, so if you want to know what I'm working on currently and when I think I'm going to be done with a particular chapter, check it haha. **

**Don't forget to review!! I thrive off of feedback haha. **

P.s. Please continue to vote on names for Ayaka & Hiroshi's daughter! Here's what we have so far:

**A. Delphine - 2**

**B. Audrina - 3**

**C. Dahlia - 3**

**D. Aki – 2 **

**E. (Any name of your choice) **Lorelei, Minaka, Devi, Freya, and Inanna are some of the names that you wonderful readers have come up with! If none of these strike your fancy, give me another option!

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	51. Intermission 02 A: The Bunny & the Snake

**Hi everyone!! I apologize for not updating sooner. I warned you though lol I'm back at college. It's taken me a bit longer than expected to finish this, but Part A is done. Part B is going to fill all the gaps that are left unfinished here. Part B is really going to focus on the evolution of the relationship between Zion and Suzu. This Intermission takes place entirely in the past and these are all just important snapshots of Suzu's long life. These events are not all in chronological order, as you will see. Part B is also going to feature more of Heaven. We will see Raphael, Mary, Michael, and some new faces. I will _not_ start it until after I post the next chapter of Fixation, which is almost done. That's basically all I have to say.  
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**As always, if you find any mistakes, please let me know!! Sorry for the long wait. Enjoy!! And I apologize, but I read an anonymous review of this Intermission, so I needed to address it. This pertains to no one but one particular individual.  
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**Dear _"_**what was this about?**_"_****: If you have the balls to call Suzu a "Mary Sue", at least have the balls to say it while you're logged in. Only a coward spits out ugly language via anonymous review, because they can't be approached after. You don't have to like what I write and I know I can't please everyone. But obviously your bark is much worse than your bite. If you would like to continue discussing the flaws of my writing, then kindly log in and leave another... gracious review. I will reply promptly.  
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_**INTERMISSION 02 A: **_

_**THE BUNNY AND THE SNAKE**_

**((Suzu and Zion))

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Heaven was such a beautiful place. Suzu was proud to call it her home. She hadn't been born there, of course, being that she was a demon, but Kizura and the Archangels allowed her to live there. She loved Heaven; the gorgeously constructed buildings, the exquisite gardens, and the overall sense of peace and tranquility that Heaven seemed to provide almost implicitly.

Suzu was just a child. She looked about nine in human years. A lesser demon at her developmental level would have been almost one-hundred. She was in fact, much older than this because demons in her family tended to age rather slowly, much slower than normal demons. She had lost track of exactly how many years she had been alive, as many demons often did. Most of them didn't pay attention to their ages until they neared adulthood.

Suzu was sitting in the grass, twirling a flower around in her fingers. "Gamma!!! I'm bored!!!!!!!!" She crooned out, knowing that her grandmother could hear her, no matter where she was. It was no secret that Suzu was Kizura's favorite grandchild; everyone knew it. It was why she was given such a high status at such a young age… and currently living in Heaven.

Kizura, Suzu's grandmother, teleported into the vicinity. Kizura was beautiful in all her gothic glory. She stood there elegantly before Suzu with flowing, black hair. Her slightly, wavy tresses framed her pale face, a few strands falling delicately in front of her deep obsidian eyes. A large, blue jewel in the shape of an oval hung in the middle of her forehead from a thin but elegant, golden chain. The chain wrapped around the top part of her head holding part of her long, black, locks while the rest fell around her.

The dark, black gown Kizura wore was a great contrast to her alabaster complexion. The gown itself was simple yet elegant. It was strapless with a few stylishly drawn out gold markings on the top them. The woman's large, black wings, outlined carefully with silver further added to the stunning elegance of the enigmatic woman. This beautiful, but powerful woman was Suzu's beloved "Gamma", Kizura: the half-Angel, half-demon Hybrid.

When Suzu was a baby, she couldn't pronounce the word "Grandmother" or "Grandma", so "Gamma" had sufficed for the time being. Much to Kizura's chagrin, Suzu had stuck with the pronunciation long after she had learned to speak properly.

"I understand, Suzu. But I-" Kizura broke off as two beings clothed in black materialized right in front of them. She focused on the beating of their hearts and willed both of them to stop. She watched with satisfaction as the assassins' bodies fell to the ground. They were both dead within seconds.

Suzu stared at their bodies for a while, a distant look covering her normally bright, purple eyes. "Suzu, I'm sorry." Kizura knelt down and embraced her granddaughter in a gentle hug.

"That's the third time this week." Suzu replied softly as she held on tightly to her grandmother. "I'm scared…" Kizura's black eyes narrowed at the assassins' corpses. It was true; the amount of attempts on Suzu's life had drastically increased. And the fact that these assassins were probably being hired by Angels angered her even more. It was time for her to do something about it. She couldn't be with Suzu all the time and therefore, she couldn't protect the girl from everything.

"How would you like… to have a Guardian Angel?" Kizura slowly released Suzu and looked into the girl's eyes.

"A Guardian Angel?" Suzu repeated, frowning. "Why can't one of my brothers or sisters protect me?"

"Because, my love, I need someone from the outside. A Guardian Angel will be objective, unbiased. And besides, some of your siblings resent you for being my heir. It would be best to have one of _them_ protecting you." Kizura grinned maliciously. "And if they fail… it'll make killing them that much easier."

* * *

Suzu sighed as she brushed her shoulder-length, black hair. Today she would be meeting her Guardian Angel, but she wasn't looking forward to it. According to Kizura, whoever she picked would virtually follow Suzu everywhere. While Suzu definitely wanted a playmate, she didn't necessarily want a guardian.

Suzu put her green brush on top of her dresser and scampered over to her closet. She was about to change out of her purple nightgown when someone knocked on her door. "Suzu? It's me. Open up." Kizura knocked again.

The girl rolled her purple eyes. _Gamma certainly has horrid timing…_ Suzu stomped over to her door and flung it open, glowering crossly. The first thing she realized was that Kizura wasn't alone. A tall male stood next to her. Her eyes widened as she studied him. The Angel was rather gorgeous.

He was very tall and he wore rather traditional, white robes and sandals on his feet. The robes did not manage to conceal his physique, as Suzu could easily tell that he was muscular and toned, but not too beefy as to make her sick. He had long, silvery blue hair that fell to his waist… and the coldest, silver eyes she had ever seen in her life. His eyes both stirred and unnerved her. Plus, the fact that he was silently staring right back at her was somewhat creepy.

He had two magnificent, almost boastful metallic blue wings that erupted from his back. They made him look all the more somber. Even his sharp nose indicated seriousness. His mouth was a thin line; there was no smile on his face. A golden belt had been tied around his waist… and a sword had also been fastened to the belt. Its golden hilt glinted at Suzu.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Suzu threw her hands up in the air.

"Why aren't you properly dressed?" Kizura barked out in response.

"Because you didn't give me enough time!" Suzu snapped back. "I can't believe you made _him_ my Guardian Angel!! He doesn't look like he knows how to smile!" _This has got to be the worst day of my life!!_

"That's exactly why he's perfect for this job. He understands just how important his mission is. It is his job to keep you safe… and nothing more." Kizura spun on her heels and began walking away.

"Hey! Wait! Gamma, you can't leave me alone with him!!!" Suzu cried out. "Gamma!!! Gamma, please!!!!!" The Angel continued to watch Suzu, but still chose not to say a single word. This annoyed Suzu even more; it seemed as if Kizura had chosen a Guardian Angel whose personality was the exact opposite of Suzu's.

"I'll be back at dinnertime." Kizura answered over her shoulder, not even halting in her stride for a second. Growling loudly, Suzu kicked the wall in frustration. She then looked up at… her new Guardian Angel.

"So… what's your name?" Suzu said slowly. _I do hope he's not mute…_

The Angel instantly knelt at her feet, which caused Suzu to jump in surprise. "My name is Zion. I am your Guardian Angel… and I will serve you unto death." The Angel, Zion, replied as if he had memorized the words from a pamphlet.

"Oh… okay. I'm Suzu." Suzu stuck out her hand and Zion grasped it and kissed it. She tore it from his grip, blushing. "You're supposed to shake it, not kiss it! Jeez, you're weird!" Zion did not answer and stayed on the ground. "Umm… well can you get up? Because I kinda wanna get dressed and I guess you can come in my room while I get dressed cuz I have a walk-in closet but you can't go in there-" Suzu broke off as Zion rose to his feet and walked inside her room wordlessly.

Suzu inwardly groaned. This was going to suck. She felt the need to complain to someone about her predicament. She would tell her older sister, Meghan, as soon as possible.

* * *

Four months later, the awkward relationship between the Guardian Angel and his charge didn't get any better. In fact, it worsened. Zion, was cold and emotionless, only concerned with performing his duty. He had absolutely no interest in getting to know Suzu. Personally, he thought she was too loud and annoying. She was overly curious and consequently, was always getting into trouble. She was extraordinarily stubborn, reckless, and unpredictable at times. She wasn't ladylike at all, she lacked grace, courtesy, poise… and it was clear that Kizura had spoiled her. But despite his dislike of her, he vigilantly stayed by her side at all times because it was his job to do so. He hardly talked to the girl though. And if they did actually speak to each other… they ended up arguing.

Suzu couldn't stand the fact that Zion was so distant and formal. Actually as time passed, he began to fluctuate between formal and downright rude. He was extremely bossy and he never let her do what she wanted. He always seemed to be one step ahead of her. She had tried countless times to outsmart him and escape his presence… but every one of her attempts had been thwarted. He was always correcting her, judging her, and criticizing her. Everything she did was wrong, wrong, wrong! She had tried to get to know him in the beginning, but he always pushed her away. Whenever she asked him a question, she always got a terse response. To put it frankly, he was the biggest jerk she had ever met.

The two were eating lunch out in the gardens on a particularly sunny day. Suzu let out a sigh as she stared up into the sky. She wasn't feeling that hungry. She pushed her food around with her fork. The past few days had been quite awful for her, as she had been sick and bedridden for a while.

"It would be considered an insult to the cook if you didn't finish your food." As if hearing her thoughts, Zion chose to speak… in that annoyingly criticizing tone… again. He couldn't even be a _little_ sympathetic towards someone who had just recovered from an illness.

"Zion… just leave me alone." Suzu sighed again as she pushed her plate of food away from her. Whatever was left of her appetite was definitely gone now. She dropped her head dramatically onto the table and groaned out loud. Although she had recovered from her illness, her body still felt tired. She was worn out from fighting off the disease… and therefore, had no energy to fight off Zion.

Zion raised an eyebrow at her response. It was quite unlike her. He was expecting a much angrier reply, perhaps some stomping or kicking. But this time, nothing. Something had to be wrong with the girl. He immediately leaned over and placed his palm on her forehead.

"What are you doing?!?" Suzu shouted out, backing away from his touch.

"You don't appear to have a fever. What's wrong?" Zion studied her inquisitively. Physically, she appeared to be fine, just a bit fatigued.

"What's wrong?" Suzu repeated scathingly. "You don't care about me, so don't ask me 'what's wrong'! As long as I'm not dead or dying, whether I'm feeling _okay_ or not is irrelevant to you!" And with that, she stood up and stalked away from Zion, who was currently in shock.

For the first time since Kizura had employed him, Zion seriously considered resigning from his position. Now he understood why he didn't get along with Suzu. To someone like her, bonds and relationships and emotions were very important. She thrived off of love and compassion and kindness and trust. Zion could grudgingly admit, she was a rather loving being, naïve, but loving nonetheless.

To Zion, these things were insignificant, as they did not guarantee that which was important to him. Zion had only applied for the job of being Suzu's Guardian Angel, in the hopes that he would eventually become a High Angel. Being her Guardian Angel were merely a stepping stone for him. Zion was very ambitious and even when he was a child, his dreams were of having a high social standing. But he had to earn the respect of his peers and superiors. So here he was.

"Zion!!!" Zion jumped as he heard Suzu's scream. He rapidly flew over in her direction, following the sound of her voice. It echoed through his ears like a drum. He could feel his heart racing. Zion finally reached Suzu, who was surrounded by wingless beings that were clothed entirely in black. These were the assassins Kizura had warned him about. Clearly, they had been waiting for him to mess up. And the second he did… they were ready.

* * *

The two of them were lying in the grass calmly. It was a beautiful day, with just the right mix of puffy clouds and promising sunlight to make anyone sigh in serenity. Despite both their pensive moods, Suzu was never usually this quiet. "What are you thinking about?" The Angel found himself asking finally. He desperately wanted to know what had caused his charge's silence.

"I want someone… to wrap my legs around." Suzu declared slowly, a blush covering her cheeks. If she was human, she'd be twelve. Many moons had passed since she had first met Zion.

"Elaborate." Zion replied simply, his tone nothing but curious.

"Well you know, in all those cliché stories when the lovers have been apart for ages and ages and when they finally see each other again the girl runs up to the guys and jumps in his arms and wraps her legs around his waist. I want that. I want someone to run to, someone to miss me… someone to wrap my legs around." Suzu confessed firmly. She was glad that her voice didn't give away her trepidation; she had never been that honest about her desire for love before, but she was glad that she had told Zion. As a matter of fact, she couldn't picture herself telling anyone but him. He truly was her best friend, her rock… she'd be nothing without him.

"I see… and what are you going to do about this desire of yours?" Zion didn't know why he felt such unease in his chest. His physical reaction didn't make any sense. Of course Suzu wanted a partner; it was normal. No one wanted to be alone. And she was nearing adolescence, a vital turning point in anyone's life.

"… I'm going to dye my hair!" Suzu sat up rapidly, her purple eyes widening in shock. "That's it! Why didn't I think of that before?"

Scratch that… she was just as impulsive and irresponsible as she had been when she was a child. Zion slowly sat up, bringing two fingers to his temple. Just thinking about Kizura's reaction was enough to bring back one of his headaches. "What color?" The Guardian Angel feared the question, but yet had to ask it. Depending on the color the stubborn heiress chose, he would either be in a little trouble… or a lot. _Why the hell does she want to dye her hair?_

"Hmmm… nothing too fancy cuz I don't want to change my look, I want to enhance it. Maybe I won't dye it completely… highlights perhaps?" Suzu cocked her head to one side, putting a finger on her chin. Zion let out a tiny sigh of relief. "You're the best Zion; I never would have figured out what to do if it wasn't for you!" The female stood up and put her hands on her hips bravely.

"How is enhancing your appearance going to help?" Zion rose to his feet fluidly, an eyebrow raised.

"Well duh… everyone here is used to the same old me. I've been here forever!! But if I work with what I have and present myself in a different way, I'm bound to get attention! And despite the obvious ego boost I'll be getting, there's also the possibility of a future husband hehehe…" Suzu smirked to herself, wringing her fingers together in a devious manner. Zion had to keep himself from rolling his eyes at her arrogance. "Plus, Meg is always talking about how good sex is so I definitely want to try it." Zion's left wing twitched for a few seconds and he coughed loudly.

"You're too young for sex." Zion crossed his arms over his chest and fixed Suzu with his authoritarian glare. It usually worked on the girl.

"Psh, you're just jealous cuz you won't be getting any." Suzu snickered, her purple orbs twinkling with glee. She knew she was pissing Zion off and she loved getting underneath his skin. It was fun! "I'm over one-thousand years old. How is _that_ too young?"

Zion, of course, didn't find Suzu's words funny… not at all. The Guardian Angel took two large steps towards the girl so that he was right in front of her. He lifted her chin up so that she was staring into his intense, silver eyes. "You will not be having sex of any kind, understood?" He didn't understand why he was so angry, but he wasn't going to try and hide it.

"Grrr… get _off_ me, I was joking you jerk!" Suzu ripped her chin from Zion's fingers and took two steps back from him. "I'm not an idiot and I know I'm too young for sex, jeez!!! Give me some credit here; I'm not a baby!" And just like that, Zion's anger melted away.

"Good." The Angel snorted, once again hiding his reaction. He made a mental note to have a talk with Suzu's older sister; she was a bad influence. He never did like Meghan.

"Maybe we should skip training for today so you can go out and get some and stop concerning yourself with my sex life." Suzu was happy that she managed to say the whole sentence without bursting into laughter.

"And what would your Grandmother say about that?" Zion decided to play along with her antics just for the heck of it.

"She'd probably be like: 'Oh maybe he'll be more laidback now. He's so strict with my baby it kills me sometimes!' Then she'll tell you to go and get laid more often." Suzu whooped with joy and threw her arms into the air dramatically.

"I highly doubt that." Zion frowned at Suzu's vulgar terminology. He was _definitely_ having a talk with Meghan about this. "And watch your language."

"Aw, don't be such a spoilsport." Suzu pouted and then an idea brought a devious smile to her face. "And you should have no problem getting the ladies either. Once they realize how nice you are to me they'll be like 'Oh, Zion, you're so good with children. You'd make such a good father!' Then you've got it made!"

"Enough." Zion snapped out, his annoyance causing his temper to erupt. Suzu stiffened at his tone and angrily refused to meet his eyes. She was so stubborn… "I… apologize for being short. But your language is hardly appropriate for a young lady your age. You should-"

"Let's just go dye my hair, okay?" Suzu interrupted, grabbing onto Zion's hand. "Jeez, your hands are so cold!" And just like that, he was forgiven. The Guardian Angel put his free hand on her head and ruffled her black locks. "Hey! Hands off buster! Teleport us already!"

"I'm just savoring the color." Zion smirked as he pictured the girl's room and prepared to teleport them both. "Before you radically change it for the worst."

"Are you kidding me? After my 'radical change', you'll have to be fighting off all my suitors!" Suzu retorted, always ready to engage in some banter, especially if it was with Zion.

"I sincerely hope not." Zion muttered to himself as he teleported himself and Suzu out of the field. He was more comfortable with the idea of fighting off assassins. But boyfriends? He did not like this, not at all.

* * *

One day, Kizura took Suzu to see her mother. But Sandy was not alone. _"This is Vladimir, one of your father's dearest friends."_ Sandy cocked her head at the tall man with butterfly wings. _"He is a faerie." _

"A faerie?!?" Suzu's jaw dropped open. "No way! No way! I didn't know they existed!" _Faeries are real???_ She had finally turned one-thousand a few weeks ago and only wished to see her mother. It was the only present she wanted. So finally, Kizura relented. If she had been born human, she would have celebrated her tenth birthday.

"Not many know of us." Vladimir smiled, his teeth sharp and menacing. But Suzu wasn't afraid. This faerie was her dead father's friend. He couldn't be so bad. "There are some who say if you take the body of a human, the soul of a demon, and the wings of an Angel… you have a faerie."

"But that can't be!" Suzu broke in excitedly, her purple eyes wide. "Your wings aren't like any wings I've ever seen in Heaven! They're bigger and wider and they have cool designs on them! Angel wings are more like bird wings!"

"You are very astute. You are also correct. When beings do not know of a creature, they make up rumors about them. Tell me child, what have you heard about faeries?" Vladimir put an arm around Suzu's shoulders.

"Well… not much. No one really talks about you." Suzu crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "But I've heard some Angels say that you steal babies."

Vladimir let out a laugh. "My dearest Suzu, faeries are quite capable of having children." He shared a meaningful look with Sandy, but Suzu missed it. Zion and Kizura, however, did not. "We would have no reason to do such a thing. However, some human children with supernatural senses can see us. They become transfixed with our way of life, our culture. And so, they run away from the humans with which they reside, and stay with us. Many of my people have adopted human children. But steal? We would never do such a thing."

"I highly doubt that." Kizura snarled, snatching Suzu's arm and pulling her away. "What is the meaning for your visit, Vladimir? Speak now; I grow impatient."

"Oh, I only wished to test little Suzu here." Vladimir knelt down, his red eyes locking with Suzu's purple ones. "I've heard you are quite proficient with magic."

"Oh, believe me, I am!" Suzu ripped her arm out of Kizura's grip excitedly. "I have three bunny friends that I summon. They're awesome and they're so cute! I'm really strong when I use magic."

"Really? Show me; demonstrate your power." Vladimir stood up to his full height. Suzu nodded her head and held out her left hand, palm faced towards the sky. Almost instantly, a ball of fire appeared in her hand. It did not burn her; it just levitated in the palm in her hand, flames dancing for all to see. "You control fire."

"Yup! It's the best! I can do anything with fire!" Suzu giggled and gently blew on the flame. The fireball immediately grew larger.

"Your father wielded fire. If you practice hard enough, you might be able to surpass him." Vladimir shared another look with Sandy. Zion put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "There is no need for such trepidation, Guardian. I would never harm a hair on this child's head."

"Not directly." Zion walked forward so that he was in between Suzu and Vladimir. "But I do not trust what you are saying… or the influence you are exerting over her."

"Influence? If you are afraid of anyone influencing this girl, it should be Kizura. Isn't that right?" Vladimir let out a dark laugh, exposing his sharp teeth. His long, dark tresses moved about, tickled by the wind.

"Can I touch your wings?" Suzu asked, almost afraid to voice her desires. But she couldn't help it. She had been so transfixed by them. They were beautiful.

"Do not go anywhere near him, Suzu." Zion extended his arm, blocking the girl's path.

"Hey! Get outta my way, Zion!" Suzu stomped on the ground, a perfectly formed pout on her face. Vladimir jumped in the air and flew a few feet back. "Where are you going? Vladimir, where are you going?"

"Are you fast enough to catch me, Daughter of Arcturus?" Vladimir's dark laugh sounded in her ears again. It was almost like he was mocking her. Well, Suzu did not like being mocked.

Suzu was running towards Vladimir before she even knew it, Kizura and Zion shouting at her to stop. She didn't listen and instead focused on Vladimir, who was flying up in the air. _I need to fly!_ The girl thought to herself. Without thinking, she jumped up, pushing her hands down below her. Fire streamed out from below, propelling her up in the air like a rocket.

"You can't fly on your own?" Vladimir shook his head. "Tsk, tsk." And with that, he turned around and raced up towards the clouds. Suzu grit her teeth, ready to chase after him… when she found herself being dragged back to the ground by the back of her shirt. She turned her head and saw Zion's stern face glaring at her.

"Let me go, Zion! Let me go!!!" Suzu's eyes flashed red and Zion nearly froze in surprise. Nonetheless, he literally threw her back onto the ground. "What was that for?"

"You deliberately disobeyed both of us. What is wrong with you?" Kizura snapped out, snatching Suzu's arm. "We are leaving. Now." She whirled around and began dragging Suzu away. Zion led the way, his sword at the ready. Suzu twisted to take one last look at her Mother. Sandy was lying on the ground, her green eyes disappointed. Their eyes found each other for a second, but then Sandy looked away, as if Suzu wasn't even there. Suzu felt her heart drop.

_I can't let her down… not again… She wants me to do it._ Suzu took a deep breath. _Sorry, Grandma… but I won't pass this chance up! I want to make her happy. I want her… to want me._ Both of Suzu's eyes turned red. She rapidly crouched down and sprung up, kicking Kizura in the arm with both her legs. Cursing, Kizura let go of her arm. That was all the time Suzu needed.

Fire erupted all around them, the cackling flames ready to incinerate everything. Kizura and Zion both flew away, back towards Sandy. Suzu held out her hand to the flames and began wiping her hand in circular motions, as if she were smearing fog off a mirror. The flames grew even brighter and more intense.

"Suzu! SUZU!!!" Zion didn't know what to do. Obviously, she wouldn't burn to death, but what was happening? Was she in danger?

"_There is nothing to do but wait."_ Sandy spoke up, flicking her tail to the left. _"Let us see if Vladimir is right. Let us see if she is capable of surpassing my beloved."_ Kizura snarled, but crossed her arms over her chest. Zion desperately looked to the flames. He couldn't see Suzu anywhere.

Suzu opened her eyes and saw nothing but flames. She was not frightened. Fire was hers and she belonged to the fire as well. She extended her left arm as far out as it could go, her fist engulfed by the flames. She pulled her right arm back, elbow bent, fist level with her breast. Suzu watched dispassionately as the flames whirled up and down her arms. She lifted her left arm in the air, her red eyes racing past the clouds and finally locking onto Vladimir's form. How she could see him from such a distance, she would not know… not for a long time.

Suzu chuckled and her rapidly released her right fist, her fingers and palms exposed for all to see. A gigantic, flaming arrow shot up into the sky. The tail of the arrow dragged the remaining flames with it. Suzu stood on the ground, watching as the arrow swiftly met its target.

Sandy, Kizura, and Zion gawked in shock as Vladimir began to ascend to the ground. The flaming arrow was in his hands. The bright flames contrasted with his dark hair and wings. Suzu's eyes flashed once more and then they began purple again. Vladimir landed on the ground, knelt down on one knee, and lifted the arrow up to Suzu. As soon as her fingertips touched it, the arrow disappeared.

"I offer you my sincerest apologies, Daughter of Arcturus. I will never question your abilities again." Vladimir slowly rose to his feet. "You truly are his child. His fire, his magic, courses through your veins."

"Thank you." Suzu nodded her head, not completely sure about what had just occurred. She was somewhat confused. But she had liked the power that she had wielded. She had never felt so complete before. It was as if the fire within her very soul had been awakened somehow.

"I have seen your future, little one. You will do great things. You will finish the job your father started." Vladimir smiled, patting her on the head.

"My father? What job? What was he trying to do?" Suzu demanded. Zion was by her side in an instant, blade drawn protectively. Vladimir backed away.

"That's enough! You pixie scum shall never see my granddaughter again!" Kizura flew forward, eyes blazing red.

"You cannot stop destiny any more than you can stop the changing of the seasons." The faerie uttered the fatal words that nearly shattered Kizura's soul. "Take care of _him_."

"Who are you talking about?" Suzu cocked her head to one side. _Whoever __he__ is, he must be important… _

"I'm disappointed in you. You need to watch the company you keep. I do not approve of them." Kizura snarled at her daughter.

"_These faeries are the only beings I trust. You took my husband from me; I will not allow you to take his friends, too. Leave my presence, Mother." _Sandy rose to her four legs, tail swishing back and forth. She turned to her daughter and nodded her head slightly. _"I am proud of you, my child."_ Suzu's heart swelled with delight.

"Do not fear, my Lady. Your daughter's fire will shine brightly for all to see. She will bring your family honor and retribution." Vladimir proclaimed boldly.

"_I am doubtful, but I trust your judgment and insight."_ Sandy turned around and began walking away.

"Will I see you again, Vladimir?" Suzu called out over her shoulder as Kizura began dragging her off.

"Not for a long time, Suzu. Not for a long time." Vladimir, the majestic faerie, said with the same amount of confidence.

* * *

It was bright and sunny, just the way it always was in Heaven. Zion and Meghan were seated at a table outside in the gardens. They were waiting for their food to arrive. The many trees around them provided them with some cool shade. "So, what's the problem?" Meghan put her chin in her hand, giving Zion a cocky look. She knew exactly why the Angel wanted to talk to her. She wasn't an idiot. In fact, she was playing dumb on purpose to further infuriate him. Some distant birds chirped along as they flew through the skies.

"You are… the way you speak to your sister… in such an inappropriate way." Zion frowned visibly and his gaze hardened. "You are a bad influence on her." Suzu was running a few minutes late and would arrive with Kizura.

"I'm also the only one her siblings that bothers to talk to her. Everyone else basically hates her. They call her Grandma's lapdog, some say she's brainwashed, and some want to disown her completely. Some don't even speak of her at all; they act like she doesn't exist. And you think I'm a bad influence on her? You should consider yourself lucky none of them have tried to kill her yet. And believe me, if things keep going like this, one of them will."

"What do you mean?" Zion had to calm his anger. He needed to know what was going on. He knew almost nothing about Suzu's siblings. Any information would be adequate. Suzu's safety apparently depended on it.

"I mean if Suzu voluntarily stays with that murderer and really becomes her lapdog… someone may take drastic measures. The moment Suzu becomes a mindless zombie is the moment she loses her value."

"Her value?"

"I've kept our siblings from hiring assassins to kill her. And that's because out of anyone and everyone in our family, Suzu is the only one Grandma let in. She's seen more than any of Grandma's lovers, children, and grandchildren. So logically, if anyone was going to kill Grandma, she'd be the best candidate for the job. She knows Kizura the best. After all, it's not like Grandma would _suspect_ her." Meghan had a biting tone to her voice. "And tell me, Angel, what would Grandma do if she suspected such a thing? Based on your own experiences with her."

Zion's eyes widened slightly. He knew the answer. But it still hurt to say it out loud. "She would kill Suzu." The mere thought of it alone nearly drove a dagger into his heart. He knew how cruel and uncaring Kizura was.

"Exactly. So either way, the family's problem is solved." Meghan shrugged, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder. "So are you going to be nitpicky about me telling Suzu about the birds and the bees, or are you going to express your heartfelt gratitude to me for keeping her safe from her own immediate family?" Zion didn't answer. How can one possibly respond to that?

* * *

Zion had always wondered about Suzu's parents, but he had never asked. He knew from overhearing Kizura and Suzu speak that his charge's mother was some sort of dog demon. But her father had never been mentioned. Actually, the only family member Suzu ever mentioned readily was her older sister, Meghan. Finally, one day, curiosity got the better of him.

"Why do you never speak of your parents?" The Angel asked one day as they were walking through the gardens together. Suzu turned up to look at him in shock, her purple eyes saddening. He immediately regretted his actions. "I apologize, I-"

"No… no, it's okay." Suzu sighed, tilting her head back to look at the sky. "I guess part of me should be happy that you asked. That means you care… or you've been thinking of me. And I guess that means we're getting closer."

Zion stiffened, but didn't reply. He was uncomfortable with her words and they both knew it. Despite the fact that she was just a child, Suzu was incredibly in tune with her emotions and the emotions of others. He barely expressed his own and she could read him like an open book. They had only known each other for one year.

Suzu chuckled, as if she could hear his thoughts, and kept on walking. "My mother's name is Sandy. She's been suffering from severe depression since I was a baby. I barely get to see her because the very sight of me upsets her. My father's name was Arcturus. I don't know what he was and I can barely remember what he looks like, but I have his eyes and his hair and apparently, we make the same facial expressions.

"My father was possessed by Slash, the legendary half-demon assassin. Why he was possessed, I don't know, but he became violent and challenged my Grandmother to a duel… and she killed him. My mother and I were the only witnesses. After he died… she couldn't take the pain and she went mad. She changed into her dog form that day and refuses to change back, even till this day.

"My Grandmother took me up to Heaven, saying that she believed whoever hired Slash to murder my father was actually after me. She got permission from the Archangels to raise me up here… and here I am."

Zion stopped walking, actual surprise written all over his face. "She killed your father?" The Angel couldn't believe it. _And you're living with her?_

"By the time she told me the truth, I was old enough to realize how sorry she was but too young to realize that she _purposely_ told me when I was a kid. If she had waited until I was older, like now, I would have left Heaven and never come back. I probably would have tried to kill her. I grew up with this knowledge. There's nothing I can do about it.

"I used to hate her for taking my father away. Everyone needs a father. But then I realized something… in life, you're dealt certain cards. And you can either trade those cards in for something better or worse, keep the cards you have and cope with what you've got, or throw the cards away and give up completely. And I chose to suck it up, because I have more opportunities here than I would in the Demon Realm.

"My other siblings see me as a traitor and her pawn. They think that she's brainwashed me and some blame me for our mother's illness. Meghan is the only one that talks to me and comes to see me. But I know that I can make more of a difference here than I can down there.

"And the day she told me the truth… I told her that I forgave her, but if she ever took anyone else from me, I'd kill her." Suzu shrugged, stealing another look up at the sky wistfully.

"I'm sorry." Zion was astounded. "Even though your father was possessed, she could-"

"What do you know about Slash?" Suzu laughed darkly, shaking her head. "His father was a Darkness Demon and his mother, a human that he raped. His mother died during childbirth, but she cursed her child during labor, saying: 'May your mind and body be torn in two for as long as you shall live.' As a result, Slash has the ability to separate his demonic mind from his human body. He can extract his own mind from his body and implant it into anyone else.

"His consciousness remains in that individual, controlling his or her actions, until the being is killed by someone else. Then Slash's mind returns to his body and he moves onto his next victim. And that is how he kills." The girl snorted. "It's cowardly and sneaky, but it works… obviously."

"So someone hired Slash to kill your father." The Angel said, still somewhat confused. She must have relentlessly researched the half-demon to find out such information. Not many beings knew of his existence. He had only heard rumors of Slash, never anything substantial. "How do you know?"

"If someone is possessed by Slash and they are killed as a result, a black cross will appear somewhere on the corpse, but mostly around the head. It's been seen on the forehead, the back of the neck, behind the ear, on the cheek, etc. Twenty-four hours later, the mark fades away." Suzu said, clearly knowledgeable of the subject.

"I understand… my parents were killed by Fallen Angels. As a child, I found myself scouring through books for any kinds of references or information I could find." Zion nodded his head, smiling slightly.

"Yeah… it sucks. I think my Mom hates me." Suzu turned to Zion, her eyes full of tears. "That's the part that hurts me the most. I don't remember my father and you can't really miss someone you don't remember. But my Mom… I just, sometimes I wish she would storm up here and steal me away, because then I'd know that she wants me." She dropped to her knees onto the stone path and tears flowed freely from her eyes.

Zion's throat tightened from the sound of her cries. Stealing a quick look around to make sure they were alone, the Angel lowered himself onto the ground and took Suzu in his arms, cradling the girl to his chest. "You yourself said that your mother is ill… she knows she is in no condition to take care of a child. I am sure that she loves you very much. And as for Kizura, I believe that her decision to raise you was based upon possible atonement for her sins. Maybe she thought giving you a life full of such opportunity would partially make up for taking your father from you."

Suzu took a few moments to compose herself and began speaking. "I don't… I don't remember much of that day at all. I was just a baby, you know? But sometimes I have dreams and I see his wings and hers… the wings of an angel. I _hate_ those wings! I hate them! She was so cruel, the way she hacked her swords at him. I could hear my mother's scream as he died. But as he died, my father was smiling at me. But… it's just a dream. Just my memories mixed in with my imagination."

"I'm sure if your father was here, he'd be proud of you." Zion let go of Suzu, ruffling her black hair.

"If my father was here, we probably wouldn't have met." Suzu stuck her tongue out at Zion. "So while I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, I don't need it." The demon stood up, her hands on her hips. "Like I said, I've been dealt cards and I'm coping with them. I'm not trading them in."

"I see." Zion rose to his feet as well, an eyebrow raised. "It astounds me how mature you are sometimes."

"Why? Do I act immature?" Suzu giggled mischievously.

"No, not at all." Zion replied dryly. "I wonder why I said that."

"Maybe… you've been possessed!" Suzu's face changed to a look of mock horror. "You better watch out!!! Something's creeping on you!" And with that, the girl dashed off ahead of Zion, her laughter ringing in his ears.

Zion shook his head, muttered a few curses, and then flew off. He had been roped into yet another game of hide-and-seek/tag.

* * *

It was way too damn bright outside. Suzu was grateful for the shade of the trees. She was in the Demon Realm, a place she didn't often go. If she did go, it was usually to visit her family members. Today was not that day. Kizura, Suzu, and Zion had teleported from Heaven to the Demon Realm. They were currently in front of a gigantic mansion that was on top of a grassy hill.

Suzu, ever the observant one, took a second to take in her surroundings. From the hill, one could see the land for miles. To the south, there was a huge, white city of some kind. Enormous skyscrapers and buildings rose up towards the clouds. She could see nothing but forest to the east and west. But to the north, there was nothing but grass for miles and miles. She could see a trail leading somewhere in the distance, but she had no idea where it went.

"Suzu, you'd better mind your manners. This is an important gathering." Kizura brushed some of her long hair off of her shoulder. She was in a grouchy mood, as always. She didn't like leaving Heaven.

"Why did you bother dragging me here then?" Suzu grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Zion smiled gently and put an arm around her waist. The female turned and tilted her head upwards at the same time. His smile warping into a smirk, Zion bent his head and captured her lips quickly.

"There will be none of that once we get inside!" Kizura hissed and grabbed at Suzu's arm. "Can the two of you _control_ yourselves?"

Inwardly rolling her eyes, Suzu reluctantly broke the kiss, coiling her arms around Zion's neck. "You still didn't answer my question." The dog demon looked expectantly at Kizura over Zion's shoulder.

"Because anyone who's _anyone_ will be at this party and we will represent our people." Kizura said briskly as she strode towards the giant mansion, leaving the two of them behind. "This is a _private_ dinner party. Only those who are of the elite received an invitation."

"Where are we anyways?" Suzu called out, pumping her legs to catch up with Kizura. Zion was able to reach Kizura in a nanosecond with his powerful wings. _Lucky bastard…_

"Bohemia. It's one of the most famous cities in the Demon Realm. You should know this from your studies." Kizura gave Suzu a look.

"Oh, give me a freaking break." Suzu glared right back at her relative. "I'm not one thousand anymore. You can't fucking boss me around like a baby. And honestly, after all that knowledge you shoved down my throat, I was bound to forget _something_. I just happened to forget this. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"You are impossible sometimes." Kizura let out a sigh, shaking her head. The trio had reached the front doors that lead inside the mansion. The doors were extravagant; they were made of calcite alabaster and had archaic symbols carved and painted all over them.

"Don't you love it?" Suzu snickered, elbowing Zion in the side. He locked eyes with her and she could tell he was trying not to smile. She jumped slightly as the white doors swung open by themselves. Zion raised an eyebrow at her and she narrowed her eyes. "Shut-" She broke off as the doors stopped moving, only to reveal the glorious and even more extravagant décor of the house… and a creature that was apparently waiting for them. _What IS that?_

"Hello. Follow me, please. The party is being held outside." The creature had long, stringy black hair that had been slicked back, glowing yellow eyes, and navy blue skin. It was wearing a suit of some kind. It didn't even look like it was capable of speech… and its low voice was grating and almost… slimy. It wasn't a demon, Suzu knew that much. It was something… else.

Suzu gave Zion a look that clearly shouted: _Are you serious?_ Kizura, on the other hand, did not seem at all surprised by the being's physical appearance and followed the creature at once. So Suzu had no choice but to do the same.

* * *

The dinner party, Suzu found out later, had been orchestrated by some Lord Seguchi. She had heard her Grandma mention the dude once or twice. There were about twenty or so guests there, including the three of them. It was a small, exclusive affair and to be honest, Suzu was quite bored. No one had really addressed her yet during the meal. She was completely fine with that.

To the rest of the beings at the party, Suzu was just as insignificant as the rest of the children present. Most of the kids were playing in the pool or the gardens. They had all stuffed themselves rapidly and then ran off to play elsewhere. _If only I could be so lucky…_ But she had passed the age where it would have been okay to do such a thing. She had passed that age long, long ago.

Suzu wasn't an idiot. She knew it was because of her physical appearance and demeanor; she seemed to be much younger than she actually was. She was, in fact, nearly three-thousand. She was married to Zion, she had raised plenty of children, and she had nurtured some of her own grandchildren. She was probably older than half the demons at the table. And yet, none of them thought she deserved an iota of respect.

Dinner was coming to an end. Suzu stole a look at Lord Seguchi. _He's one creepy fuck… _The female thought to herself, inwardly shuddering at the eerie smile on the demon's face. Lord Seguchi sipped some of his red wine, the same smile still plastered onto his face.

"I've heard you play the piano quite beautifully. Is this true, Suzu?" Suzu nearly jumped out of her skin after she realized that Lord Seguchi was talking to her. Kizura kicked her from underneath the table. Everyone probably heard it.

"Yea, yes I do." Suzu nodded her head, forcing herself to speak.

"Splendid. My son plays as well. Tohma!" Lord Seguchi stood up, turning his blonde head left and right. Suzu's jaw nearly dropped open as a blonde blur literally _leapt_ out of a tree that was a few hundred feet away. The demon wove his hand and a massive, black, grand piano appeared in the grass, complete with a sleek, black, cushioned bench. The piano was to the side of the table. It was beautiful… and Suzu's fingers itched to touch the keys.

"Would you be so kind as to play a duet with my son?" Lord Seguchi turned his chilling smile on Suzu. She thought she was going to vomit. The blonde blur, which she presumed to be Tohma, reached the table.

He was basically a carbon copy of his father, except for his eyes. While his father's eyes were black (most likely representative of his soul), Tohma's eyes were greenish blue. The kid was actually sort of cute. He was wearing rather formal attire for a child; a white shirt with ruffles on it, a baby blue suit jacket, baby blue pants, polished, black shoes, and a white flower in the breast pocket of the jacket.

"Sure." Suzu stood up, forcing a smile on her face. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that another child jumped down from the same tree that Tohma had been in. "Is your friend going to be playing with us, too?" She could tell that whoever was coming their way was considerably smaller than Tohma… and had green hair. _What is it with demons and odd-colored hair? _

"No. He refuses to learn how to take lessons from me." Tohma answered her without turning around. Suzu's eyebrows rose. The blonde was clearly smart, if he was able to figure out who she was talking about without even turning around. It was either that or he could sense who was currently running towards them like there was no tomorrow. "Shall we play?"

Suzu walked around the table, nearing the chosen instrument. Tohma immediately sat down, his back rigid, his fingers already on the appropriate keys, as if he had selected a song already. "Um… what song are we doing?"

"Mozart's Sonata No. 8… if that pleases you, of course." Tohma turned to look at her, a smug expression in his eyes. Suzu bristled, but didn't let her emotions show.

"That's fine. Let's get started." Suzu grit her teeth and cracked her fingers audibly, making note of the slightly disgusted look on Tohma's face and relishing in it. _I have to play this damn song with this damn brat for twenty damn minutes?!? Grandma, I'm going to KILL you!!! _

The two of them began playing together. Tohma's playing was inflexible, calculated, and memorized… he didn't play with any heart, any soul. He just played exactly as he had been taught. He didn't put any of himself into his playing. The blonde's skill was excellent and he played with absolute precision, but he lacked originality and creativity. And because of that, Suzu had to modify her own performance. She often did the exact opposite of what Tohma did… but she still remembered how to play like a meticulous, soulless copycat. The two continued on for about eight minutes or so, unaware of all the eyes on them.

Their beautiful playing was ruptured by a loud kick. A collective gasp was heard. Suzu's hands immediately withdrew from the piano. Tohma's blonde head whirled around to glare at the culprit. Suzu copied his action and found herself staring into the most intense brown eyes she had ever seen in her life. She had to blink a couple times to make sure she was actually seeing correctly.

It was as if time had frozen. Suzu could look nowhere else, than at this weird child. He looked no older than a toddler (if he was human he'd be three), but there was something so ancient and sharp and profound about his gaze. He had short, dark green hair, tiny bangs that barely caressed his cherub cheeks, a cute, button nose, and slightly tanned skin. It was certainly darker than Tohma's pale skin tone. He was wearing light brown shorts, chocolate-colored sandals, and a dark green buttoned shirt.

"Fujisaki Suguru! What is the meaning of this?" Lord Seguchi's angry voice broke Suzu out of her reverie. Her eyes strayed to the angry, blonde demon lord. His black eyes were blazing with fury.

"Yeah, why'd you do that, Suguru?" Tohma frowned, his annoyed face making Suzu wrinkle her nose in disagreement.

"Get off, Toh-baka!" Suguru pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and literally stomping on the ground. "I wanna play!" Suzu had to keep herself from laughing out loud. The brat reminded her of well… her.

"You don't know _how_ to play." Tohma narrowed his eyes at Suguru. "Go play with the rest of the babies. You don't belong here." Suguru's eyes were instantly filled with tears. Suzu scowled and stood up. "Where are _you_ going?"

"You're calling _him_ the baby? If you think you're so grown up, then you should be more patient with him." Suzu snapped at Tohma. She walked over to Suguru and knelt down on one knee, so she could look at him directly. Suguru sniffled and wiped his eyes, his attention completely on her. "Don't cry. He just has a stick up his ass. Kind of like my husband actually…"

Suguru giggled, his brown eyes lighting up.

"I'm not a child at all. I'm one hundred and forty. You're not an adult either. You can't be a year over-" Tohma began stubbornly.

Suzu snapped her head around, her eyes flashing red for a nanosecond. "I am nearly three thousand years your senior. So unless you want me to kill you, (which I will do so gladly, as you are clearly a disrespectful, ignorant, brat) I suggest you shut your mouth and shut it now."

"You… you can't be that old. You don't even look…" Tohma broke off fearfully, his face paling slightly.

"Appearances can be deceiving. You're a demon, aren't you?" Suzu stood up, holding out her hand. Suguru gratefully grabbed onto it.

"Of course I am!" Tohma shouted back, his pride hurt.

"Then that should be something you never forget." Suzu looked down at Suguru. She was done with Tohma. "Now then, would you like to play the piano with me?"

"Yes, I want to!" Suguru nodded his head happily.

"Okay, let's do it." Suzu lead the tiny boy over to the piano. "Tohma, move."

"He doesn't even know how to play." Tohma muttered bitterly as he slid off the bench.

"Go bitch to your father." Suzu suggested, picking Suguru up by his waist and seating him on the bench. "Because quite frankly, I don't give a shit." Her acute hearing picked up the sound of Kizura smacking her forehead. _Oh yea… once I start cursing, it's hard for me to stop… I guess I should behave… somewhat._

"How did you meet this stiff anyway?" Suzu nudged Suguru with her leg.

"He's my cousin." Suguru smiled up at her.

"You know… I've never prayed before, despite being raised in Heaven and all. But I think now would be a good time to start." Suzu snorted, stretching her fingers over the elegant keys. "You seem like you need it, kid."

"You were in Heaven?" Suguru asked in wonder.

"Yup, ever since I was as tiny as you." Suzu leaned over and tapped Suguru on the nose. He giggled and wiped his nose. "Now… what do you want to play?"

"Umm… Petite suite!" Suguru had an excited look on his face, his widening mouth threatening to take over his features.

"Which one?" Suzu grinned back, her head cocked to the side. She had to admit it; the kid's smile was contagious. "I love Debussy, he's the man!"

"En Bateau!" Suguru couldn't help but giggle and covered his mouth again. "I'm the Primo and you're the Secondo. Okay?"

"Well duh. It's not like _your_ feet can reach the pedals." Suzu snorted, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. But once Suguru placed his tiny fingers on the keys, she found herself summoning up every ounce of concentration she possibly could.

"Ready?" Suguru questioned intently, his brown eyes fixed on her.

"Let's do this, Guru." Suzu smirked back at the child. And they began to play together. Suzu was inwardly shocked. She knew she was a great piano player, but Suguru was amazing! He had to have been a child prodigy or something. She knew she wasn't as good as Suguru when she was his age. If he kept this up, he would probably end up outdoing her. _And to think, Tohma said he __couldn't__ play._

And their chemistry was even more astounding. Despite never playing with him before, Suzu felt completely at ease. Because of this, she was able to give herself fully to the music and the moment. It was Suguru's first time playing in public, in front of other demons. At first, he was nervous and scared… but knowing that Suzu was beside him comforted him. His fear vanished, evaporated into the air like smoke. There was nothing but the music… and themselves. Nothing else existed, nothing else mattered.

The duo's hands danced upon the keys freely and fluidly. Their fingers twirled and twisted rapidly. The melody they created together rose from the grass to the treetops, pleasing everyone and everything that heard it. Their bodies swayed with emotion as they played, feeling the music spread from their fingertips to everywhere else.

Suzu didn't even realize that they had finished playing until she heard the applause. She rotated in her seat and faced the table. Everyone was standing up and clapping. She looked at Suguru in surprise. Lord Seguchi's face was a mixture of shock and pride. Tohma just looked pissed off.

"I guess they liked it." Suguru looked just as surprised as her.

"They like you, dummy." Suzu ruffled Suguru's green hair. "You were amazing, keeping up with an old-timer like me."

"You're not an old-timer." Suguru laughed, pushing Suzu's hand off him. "You're… you're…" He broke off, a note of confusion on his face. He didn't know what to say. He didn't understand what he felt… and so, he couldn't verbalize it.

"Why thank you." Suzu got up and curtsied for her partner. "You do play beautifully. Keep practicing." Zion quickly made his way over to her, an unknown emotion raging in his eyes. It almost looked as if he _recognized_ Suguru as someone he didn't like, but that was impossible. How could Zion have known him?

"I think it's time for us to go." Kizura said stiffly, walking towards her heir. Her back was as stiff as a board. "Thank you, Lord Seguchi, for extending this invitation to us." Zion put a protective arm around Suzu's waist.

"Suzu… you're going?" Suzu's heart almost broke at the miserable tone of Suguru's voice. She reluctantly spun around to face him. Suguru's brown eyes were filled with tears again. Suzu dropped to her knees and opened her arms. The tiny boy immediately jumped into them. "Don't go!"

"Aw, I'm sorry." Suzu gently rubbed Suguru's back. "I have to go. I don't live here. But maybe, one day, we'll see each other again. Would you like that?"

Suzu lessened her hold on the boy and drew back so she could look into his eyes. "Oh yes, of course!" Suguru cheered happily, wiping his tears away.

"Good. Now will you promise to do something for me?" Suzu tapped Suguru on the nose.

"Anything!" Suguru nodded his green head.

"Promise me… that you'll always be yourself. Don't let anyone else decide who you are. And whatever you do, as long as you give it your best… you _are_ the best! And don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise!" Suzu smiled, not sure why she felt so sad on the inside. "And you'd better keep practicing the piano! I can't wait to perform with you again!"

"I promise!" The demon child assured earnestly. "I've been practicing for a long time. I won't stop!" On some unconscious level, he _knew_. He knew he wouldn't see Suzu for a long time. Without realizing it, Suguru's brown eyes turned green and began glowing softly. A transparent, mountain-shaped barrier began to rise from the ground. _"Wait for me."_ The barrier literally pushed Kizura and Zion a few feet away. His voice was ageless and serene. She noted with confusion that some of the other demons seemed dazed. It was as if a fog had overcome the world and they were the only conscious ones in it. The barrier was around Suzu and Suguru... and only them.

"Huh?" Suzu frowned slightly, studying Suguru. His aura had changed somewhat. Well… it hadn't really changed. It was as if a dormant part of him, a small part, had roused. "What am I waiting for? What are you doing to do?" She stole a look at Zion and saw the worry in his eyes. He wanted to be near her, Suzu could tell, but his eyes were screaming at her… which probably meant that he couldn't move. She turned her head to look at Kizura and saw the same awareness in her black eyes.

"_Grow up."_ Suguru's answer was both simple and complicated. His green gaze was boring into her very soul and unlocking some sort of door she didn't even know existed. She could feel her eyes turning red in return. Tohma slowly backed away from the barrier, shaking his head in fear. He could still move.

"_I will wait."_ Suzu declared, rising to her feet. _"Take care of them."_ Lord Seguchi narrowed his dark orbs and took in everything. Like most of his guests, he could not move, but _unlike_ most of his guests, he was still able to maintain his consciousness. He knew he was witnessing something powerful.

"_The one who is like Raziel beckons to me."_ Suguru pointed to the earth and it began rumbling. Suzu watched in detached shock as a tiny bird burst from the ground. It spewed earth, stone, grass, and other debris everywhere. The bird's entire body was pure gold and its eyes were glowing dark blue. The bird opened its golden beak and let out a horrid shriek. Suguru held a finger up in the air and the bird zipped down and landed on it. It started squawking at the child.

"What's going on? Father, what's going on?" Tohma's face became even paler than it had before. The blonde child looked to his father for help, for guidance. But Lord Seguchi avoided his son's gaze and kept it fixated on Suguru and Suzu. The time to comfort his son would come later. And like all things he did, he would do it thoroughly. Perhaps even wipe the child's memory of this day, if it was necessary.

Suzu's mouth opened without her permission: **_"You, Lord Seguchi are cursed."_** She whipped her head to glower at the demon in question. The words were not her own, but those of the bird itself. That much, the female could tell. Plus, it helped that she knew who Raziel was. _**"You will be incarcerated in the depths of Hell when you least expect it."** _Her words chilled Lord Seguchi to the bone, but he didn't let it show. It couldn't possibly happen. Could it?

Tohma's eyes widened and he fell onto the ground in shock. **_"Your family is cursed, boy."_** Suzu chuckled darkly, wiping away imaginary tears of mirth from her cheeks. Her eyes were fixed upon the blonde boy. **_"You will __die__ before you ever see the face of your firstborn child."_**

Tohma started screaming wildly, beating at the ground with his fists. His tears leaked onto his clothing and the grass. "No! NO, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!!!!!!!!" He shrieked until his voice turned raw with anger and pain and distress. "I don't want to die… I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't wan-" His voice finally died out and he lied against the earth, eyes empty and devastated.

Suzu's throat constricted, as if she was choking. She coughed uncontrollably, kneeling on the ground, panting. _I guess this means I have my voice back… but what the fuck was all of that prophetic shit? What is going on? And who the hell is this bird? _She looked up, only to lock eyes with Suguru again. Why the damn brat had such a hold on her, she wouldn't know for a long time.

_This is very problematic._ Lord Seguchi thought to himself. _The only way to prevent such a thing would be to prevent him from ever mating with a demon. But he still needs social status…_ And so, the wheels in the demon's head began churning, not knowing that forcing his son into a deep friendship with Ryuichi would only add sustenance to the sown seed.

Suguru flicked his finger and the golden bird took off into the air. _"Return to your master in Okuniya."_ He ordered and the bird let out an offended squawk. Nonetheless, it obeyed and literally vanished right before their eyes.

"What the hell is Okuniya?" Suzu scowled and then her eyes widened. She slowly felt them and didn't feel any heat, which meant that they weren't glowing anymore. So whatever had happened or was happening… was now ending. Her voice was back to normal, too. It felt good to be her again. The barrier around them faded for a moment and then reappeared.

_"Okuniya is a tree that resides in Hell. It is where T-"_ Suguru's eyes flashed and then turned brown again. Suzu watched as his body slowly crumpled to the ground. The barrier burst into tiny particles of light and faded away into the atmosphere. Then… the environment started breathing again. It was as if time had unfrozen itself. All the aristocratic demons at the party started conversing, as if nothing had happened. The demonic children resumed their play excitedly.

Lord Seguchi was the first to react. He was at his son's side in an instant. He narrowed his eyes at Suzu, who glared right back at him. The two of them disappeared, probably to the inside of the lord's mansion. Zion was the second to move, teleporting himself so that he was right next to her, his hand on her shoulder.

"Okay." Suzu drew away from him and whirled around, her hands on her hips. "Who the fuck spiked the punch?" She gave her Grandmother an accusing stare. Kizura made sure that no one was paying attention to her… and then she teleported herself right by her heir.

"I assure you; I had nothing to do with this." Kizura snarled, frowning at Suguru's unconscious body. "This brat is the culprit."

"He's just a kid!" Suzu snapped back defensively. "Do _NOT_ touch him. Look, as long as I never see him again, what harm can he do to me?" Kizura continued to gaze hungrily at Suguru, as if she itched to kill him. "Grandma, look at me! We're never coming back here, okay? At least, I'm not going to. So leave him alone! Let's just get out of here!"

Fate was always against Suzu. That much she knew. Because as soon as Kizura's face visibly calmed, Suguru stirred. The dog demon inwardly groaned as she prepared to placate her relative… once again.

"Don't fucking touch him. I mean it." Suzu growled audibly, crouching on the ground so that she was closer to Suguru.

"We shall leave. Now." Kizura hissed back, eyes glowing red.

"Suzu?" Suguru croaked out, his voice hoarse. Suzu's heart melted.

"Yes?" Suzu smiled down at the tiny boy.

"Are you a fairy?" Suguru asked innocently, not noticing how Kizura's glare intensified. Zion noticed.

"No, sweetie, I'm not." Suzu chuckled lightly and shook her head. "Listen, I have to go now. We probably won't see each other again. Take care of yourself, alright?"

"Now? But I had the weirdest dream! I wanted to tell you all about it!" Suguru's mouth formed a perfect pout. Suzu smiled sadly and stood up. Zion put a hand on her shoulder. The pout became a scowl and Suguru rose to his feet. "Where are **_you_** taking her?"

"To Heaven, where she belongs." Zion replied coldly, earning him a smack on the shoulder from Suzu.

"Stop being so mean! He's just a kid." Suzu rolled her eyes at her husband. He was just as adorable as any of her grandchildren.

"He is not 'just a kid'." Zion said stiffly, pulling his arm tighter around her.

"Yes… he's ever the precocious one." Kizura's white sharp teeth gleamed as she glowered at Suguru. Oddly enough, he didn't flinch under her gaze.

"Suguru." Suzu tilted forward until her forehead was touching his. "Be good, okay? Goodbye." She leaned back until her spine was straight. "I'm ready, Zion."

"It's not goodbye." Suguru uttered, his eyes lowering to the ground. "It's au revoir."

"Have it your way kid." Suzu let out a laugh, revealing her own fangs. "Au revoir, Suguru."

"Au revoir, Suzu." Suguru responded evenly and there was such clarity and certainty in his gaze that for a moment, Suzu actually believed that they would see each other again. But that was silly. Even if they did meet again, Suzu doubted the boy would even remember her. After all, he couldn't have been older than sixty years old, which basically classified him as an infant… a rather articulate, intelligent toddler, but a toddler nonetheless.

No one else seemed to notice as Zion, Kizura, and Suzu disappeared. No one but one Fujisaki Suguru.**

* * *

**

**I'm not an expert in piano playing, but here's an explanation, in case you were confused about the two terms I used before. Primo is the person who sits on the right side of the bench and plays the high notes. Secondo is the person who sits on the left and plays the low notes.  
**

**Oh yes, pay attention to Slash. He'll be popping up again in later chapters. Also, you'll want to remember what was said about Tohma.  
**

**That's it for now!! Please review and share your opinions!  
**


	52. Author Note for DHH

I'm sorry if you were expecting a new chapter... it's not done yet. But I needed to address this issue. I apologize to all of my readers and if your user name is _**NOT**_ dhh, then you've got no reason to read this. I will delete this once I've finished my newest chapter. Not exactly the best way to start out the new year or the best way to score some good karma points, but when I'm angry, I'm angry.

**Author note:**

Okay, this kind of nonsense is exactly why it's hard to start writing again. I haven't updated Prediction of the Pink in months because of school. Junior year is NOT easy. It's downright stressful. And today, I had the pleasure of receiving this review, my first in about one month:

"YOU know, it's SICK of you to have a 7yr old RAPED and then have Ryuichi SAVE him but still have him prostitue himself?! I mean, that MAKES no sense..You're really ** UP!!"

Let's dissect this review that was given to me by the honorable _**dhh**_. First of all, Shuichi was not raped at seven years old. **Mistake one**. Yes Ryuichi "saved" Shuichi. But did Shuichi prostitute himself because he wanted to? Did he make the conscious decision to go down this particular career path because he wanted some pocket money? NO. **Mistake two**.

It "makes no sense"? How about Shuichi has amnesia? How about, I have never revealed EXACTLY how he was FORCED into prostitution? How about once he gets his memories back, that WILL be explained? I'd have to say all of these statements are true, because I plan on disclosing this information in the upcoming chapters. **Mistake three**.

Is it sick of me to write Shuichi as a prostitute? Am I fucked up? What if I was forced into child prostitution and this is the only way I can express my pain? What if I was abused as a child? What if I was neglected? What if my cousin raped me? What if I experienced some kind of unspeakable trauma in my childhood? What if the only way I could make sense of my world was creating one similar to it? Would that _still_ make me a bad person? Am I _still_ fucked up? Did you, dhh, even consider this? Probably not. **Mistake four**.

To some, that answer is yes. And that's fine, because I can't make everyone happy. But if you're going to criticize my writing, make sure your arguments actually have some validity before you start bashing me. **Mistake five**.

To put it frankly, if you don't know someone, you really shouldn't judge them. **Mistake six**.


	53. Intermission 02B: The Ultimate Deception

**Things have been crazy for me lately. I'm taking 21 credits this semester. My Grandfather was in a car accident in January and on March 6th he died from injuries sustained from that accident. His death was a shock to me, because I always thought he would be around. My Grandpa meant the world to me, because my Dad was never consistent, so my Grandpa was my first male role model. He was reliable, intelligent, and words can't even describe how much he meant to me. I love him so much. But as much as it hurts, even though the ones we love die, we still have to live on. It's hard, to stay behind while our loved ones leave us. But I believe he's in a better place now, probably playing poker with all the other Grandpas in Heaven. :)  
**

**So yea this is long, probably not as proof-read as my other submissions are, and I'm sorry. And yes it's my first update in months. I'm sorry for that too. But there's too much going on right now.  
**

* * *

**_INTERMISSION 02 B:_**

**_The Ultimate Deception _**

**_((Suzu and Zion))

* * *

_**

"Zion!!!" Zion jumped as he heard Suzu's scream. He rapidly flew over in her direction, following the sound of her voice. It echoed through his ears like a drum. He could feel his heart racing. Zion finally reached Suzu, who was surrounded by wingless beings that were clothed entirely in black. These were the assassins Kizura had warned him about. Clearly, they had been waiting for him to mess up. And the second he did… they were ready.

The Guardian Angel drew his sword as he neared the pack of assassins. There were about ten of them, black shadows, closing in on his charge. He sliced through the one nearest to him. The being gave out a final, gurgled cry and crumpled into the grass, blood spilling out of its wounds. The rest of the assassins whirled around and faced Zion. They had no faces… and the emptiness behind their garments slightly alarmed the Angel. _Why are they here?_ Zion frowned as he stretched out his wings.

The beings started floating towards him menacingly, outstretched, empty sleeves inching to him. Zion flew forward and slashed through another one. The ethereal body fell to the ground, the flowing blood staining the grass. The other assassins circled around him.

"Zion!!" Suzu shouted out, her purple eyes laden with fear.

Zion froze as an arm wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air supply.

"It appears as though you have failed to perform the qualifications of your job." Kizura crooned into Zion's ear.

"Gamma, what are you doing? He's not the enemy! Those things tried to hurt me!" Suzu protested. She watched in amazement as the phantom creatures hovered over to Kizura and floated behind her. "They're… with you? You sent them after me?"

"Four months… that was all the time I needed to find out who hired them to kill you." Kizura spat out, tightening her grip on Zion's throat.

"Who… who was it?" Suzu gulped, hoping it wasn't one of her family members.

"Doesn't matter… they won't be bothering you anymore." Kizura snorted and lifted Zion's body into the air. "Isn't that right, Zion?"

"What are you talking about? Zion? Do you know who-" Suzu broke off as realization dawned upon her. Tears filled her eyes. "Zion… you sent them?"

Zion avoided Suzu's tearful gaze, which was easy as there were white spots in his vision. He was dignified enough to accept his punishment and didn't attempt to pry Kizura's fingers from his neck.

"I thought it was a little odd… that as soon as you started watching Suzu, the attacks stopped. So I did a little research and found out that you paid these scum quite a bit of money to attack my granddaughter. You ceased your little contract with them once I appointed you.

"I have to admit, you're quite the mastermind… to be able to anticipate exactly what kind of Angel I would want on the job and then to create a situation in which your skills would be needed. You're good." Kizura twisted Zion's body around so she was staring into his silver eyes. "Any last words?"

Suzu fell to her knees in shock. "Please, Gamma, don't kill him!" She cried out, sobs taking control of her body.

"Why? He tried to kill you." The Hybrid retorted, digging her fingernails into Zion's neck. Blood trickled down the Angel's chest.

"I know but… he just tried to save me…" Suzu's chin quivered. "Zion… I don't understand. Please, help me understand."

Kizura frowned and threw Zion's body to the ground a few feet from Suzu. "You have one minute to explain yourself before I end your life." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at him.

Zion coughed up blood and sat up, facing Suzu. He stared deeply into her swollen, still crying eyes. He reached out a hand and stroked her short, black hair. "I never meant to hurt you. I'm sorry." The Angel smiled as he cupped Suzu's face. "I thought that if I got this job, I would gain prestige. I come from nothing, Suzu. My parents were nobodies and their parents were nobodies. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth… but I wanted it. I wanted it badly enough to do this."

Suzu sniffled, but held Zion's strong gaze. She saw the sincerity behind his words. "You didn't want me dead?" She whispered, curving her face into Zion's palm.

"Never." Zion promised. _I care about you…_ The Angel admitted to himself. It almost hurt to think it. It hurt, because the girl would never know. It hurt because Kizura was going to kill him.

He heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being released from its sheath. Zion turned his head as saw Kizura stalking towards him, holding a longsword in one hand. The lethal blade had green vines swirling up from the point to the pommel. In her other hand, she held a kris, the golden, wavy blade glinting at him.

"Gamma! No, don't do it!" Suzu stood up, wiping her eyes hurriedly. "You don't have to kill him! He's sorry!"

Kizura ignored her and pointed both the hilts of the swords at each other. Zion watched as the hilts attached to each other. The vines that were on the longsword spread out and twirled around the kris… the two deadly swords became one weapon. Kizura grasped onto the hilt of her new, double-edged sword. The hilt was now in the middle of the two swords.

Zion knew he was going to die… and he felt oddly calm. He was at peace. He deserved to die, didn't he? For hurting Suzu, whom he had sworn to protect?

"Stop!!!" Suzu shrieked out, running so that she was standing in between her Grandmother and Zion. "You can't kill him!"

"Move aside, granddaughter. I will rid Heaven of this scum." Kizura's grip on her double-edged sword tightened. She stalked towards the two of them, eyes red with fury.

Zion's silver eyes widened. What was Suzu doing? Why was she protecting him after what he did to her? It didn't make any sense. She didn't make any sense. His body screamed at him to heal himself, but his mind just didn't, couldn't do so. And he didn't know why.

"Who are you killing him for, Grandma?" Suzu shouted back. "You're not killing him for me. You want to kill him to prove a point, to show everyone here that you have power… that you can do anything you want and no one can challenge you. Well I'm here. I'm going to challenge you. You cannot just continue to take lives like this."

"What can you do to stop me?" Kizura barked out. "Your seal doesn't come off for another week. You can do nothing."

"_I_ will decide what I can and cannot do!" Suzu roared in response and her eyes flashed red for a nanosecond.

"Suzu… stop this nonsense. He must die."

"No! That's not right! Arrest him, put him on trial, convict him and lock him in jail! That's the way things are done here! That's the way things are done everywhere! That's justice!"

"Justice? Justice? Do you think that if he was a demon, he would get justice? If he was a demon and he attempted to assassinate an Angel, he would be exterminated on the spot! Why should I treat him any differently than a demon would be treated? He wants to carry on deals with demons? Very well, I will treat him like a demon to be slain. I will slay him."

"He's _NOT_ a demon and you will _NOT_ slay him!"

Zion stood up slowly, keeping a firm hand on his neck to stop the bleeding. He staggered slightly, but was able to walk over to where Suzu was standing. "What did she mean by seal?" He coughed and his throat constricted in response. He didn't understand why he felt so weak, so unwilling to fight.

Suzu whirled around and her red eyes searched his face. "Oh dammit all… you've been Petrified." The dog demon scowled. "In order to keep my powers from multiplying out of control, a seal is placed on my body for six months and I'm not allowed to train. Then for the other six months, I train all day, every day... or as much as I can."

"But your seal doesn't come off for another week." Kizura repeated, twirling her blade in one hand. "I can decapitate you easily."

"I never liked the idea of leaving myself defenseless for six months at a time." Suzu turned around so she was facing her Grandmother. "So a couple decades ago, I asked Raziel how, in case of an emergency, I would be able to get rid of it. And he told me 'get angry'. Still believe you can take me out?"

"Impossible. You can't break the seal I put on you. And even if you did, your body will be weak."

"That's assuming I haven't done this before, Gamma." Suzu grinned widely, showing off her fangs.

Zion watched in shock as Suzu's body started to glow purple.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you protecting him?" Kizura roared, slashing at her granddaughter ferociously.

Suzu jumped in the air and twisted her body around to avoid her Grandmother's blows. "If anyone has the right to punish him, it is _ME_!" Suzu snarled back, red eyes gleaming at her opponent. Ten fireballs materialized out of the air and shot at Kizura. "And his punishment is to live! He will live and he will remember EVERY day the sins he has committed against me! But die? He does NOT deserve to die! He will NOT die!"

Zion stared in shock. None but his parents had fought so hard for him. He watched as two curved blades appeared in the girl's hands. With her body glowing fiercely, Suzu dove at Kizura. What happened next, the demonstration of power he was about to see, would change not only his world, but his destiny.

* * *

Zion gently opened the door and crept into Suzu's room. After _that_ day, the girl had passed out. She was still sleeping, four days later. Raziel told him it was a side effect of having her memory erased. He didn't agree with it, but at the same time, he didn't understand what had happened. Suzu probably wouldn't understand either.

Zion took his seat by her bed, like he had done for the past few days. He was allowed to come visit her because Kizura couldn't. The Hybrid was still in critical condition after what happened. She was going to make it… Michael and Raphael were doing their best to heal her. But the damage was extensive. It would take a week for her to be fully healed… which was a long time, especially for Kizura.

Sunlight shone in through a cracked window. Suzu stirred in her sleep and rolled over, a frown on her face. She forced her eyes open and immediately felt how tired she still was.

"Wuz goin on?" She asked groggily.

"Suzu? You're awake?" Zion stood up immediately, leaning over her bed.

"Mmm… feel like shit."

"Language, Suzu."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Suzu groaned and tried to sit up, but Zion put his hands on her shoulders and gently held her in place. "Jeez… what're you doing?"

"You've been asleep for four days, Suzu. You're not back up to full strength yet. Give your body some time." Zion smiled, brushing some of her hair away from her face.

"Fine, fine." Suzu frowned again, a confused expression on her face. "Why was I sleeping for four days? Was I sick?" Then her eyes widened. "You're not dead! Gamma didn't kill you! That's great!"

"That's right…" Zion prepared to lie to Suzu and say exactly what Raziel instructed him to say. It hurt more than he thought it would. "You fought Kizura and defeated her. She won't be killing me anytime soon." Omitting the truth was a lie, wasn't it? _Wasn't it?_

"I defeated her?" Suzu's eyes widened. "By myself? No way!!! That's so cool! But why… why can't I remember?"

Zion cleared his throat. "Well, just as you injured Kizura, she injured you. Because of the damage you endured from the battle, your recent memories were…" He trailed off. She wasn't going to believe him. But then again, what other choice did she have? Why… why was he the one who had to lie to her?

"I guess that makes sense…" Suzu said, a shrug in her voice. "So what's going to happen now?"

"I'm being sent to jail for attempting to assassinate you and for conspiring with demons." The Angel informed the young girl.

"Oh." Suzu blinked her purple eyes. "Zion, I think I need to be alone now." How could she have forgotten? Zion had used her. The beginnings of tears gathered in her eyes. She was only starting to remember what had transpired right before. She remembered the anger, the overwhelming anger. She saw herself standing in front of her Grandma, ready to fight. And she did it, for him. But why couldn't she remember their battle?

"Suzu…" Zion started to say, but paused. He rose to his feet in a single, fluid motion. His long hair swayed with him as he walked towards her door. "For what it's worth… I'm sorry."

"I'm not sure… if it's worth anything right now." Suzu turned her head and stared at the wall. She was crying but she didn't know why. She refused to make a sound. She would not show weakness.

"Thank you for saving my life." Zion bowed to Suzu, even though she wasn't looking at him. He slowly backed out of her room and shut the door behind her. He wondered when his incarceration would begin.

* * *

Suzu, despite being in good physical condition, did not leave her bed for ten days. Zion never came to see her. She didn't know whether he was in prison or not. Kizura, while no longer in critical condition, was not allowed to get out of bed.

The dog demon was staring off into space when someone rapidly knocked on her door. Purple eyes narrowed. "Who is it?" Suzu shouted out.

The door opened and tall, red-haired male entered. Sharp, blue eyes scanned the room until they rested onto the white bed and its sole inhabitant. Elegant, birdlike wings fanned out behind the male. The redhead walked to Suzu's bedside and sat down gracefully, not saying a word.

"Michael. What're you doing here?" Suzu failed to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

Michael smiled and felt Suzu's forehead, as if checking for a fever. "You're not sick at all. Why haven't you gone to visit your Grandmother yet?" The Archangel sat back in his chair.

"Is she even awake?"

"She drifts in and out of consciousness. She should be relatively stable and alert in a few days time."

"Whatever. I don't see the point. Why would she want to see me?"

"You're her heir. She-"

"I nearly killed her, Michael! Why the hell would she want to see me? I'm a monster…" Suzu started crying mid-sentence. She finally vocalized what had been plaguing her, what kept her from sleeping, what prevented her from visiting her Gamma.

"Suzu… you're not a monster. You did what you did to protect Zion." Michael tried to comfort the crying girl. It would guilt the girl, thinking that she alone was the cause of Kizura's extensive wounds. But she was not to know the truth. "Kizura is strong. She'll bounce back from this in no time."

"It's been a week!" Suzu screamed back. "And she still isn't better. I almost killed my own-" She broke off as Michael embraced her. Her eyes widened in shock; he had never done such a thing.

Michael slowly rubbed the girl's back. He hated seeing her in pain. He didn't want her to suffer anymore than she already had. But her life was going to be full of pain. He couldn't change her destiny. But he could help her through it.

* * *

In a little over an hour, Suzu was showered, dressed, and out of her room. She and Michael were having a private lunch in his observatory. The sunlight room was full of beautiful artwork, chirping birds in cages, and even a tiny fountain closer to the back of the room. There were clear windows and glass doors all around the room.

"It's been a long time since I've been here." Suzu ran up to one of the birdcages and giggled as the tiny birds flitted around and sang.

"I know." Michael pulled out Suzu's chair, waiting for the girl to sit down.

"Oh. Thanks!" Suzu scampered over and plopped down in her seat. The Archangel pushed it in and then took his seat at the opposite side of the table.

Luckily, it wasn't a long table, but more round. The tablecloth was made of white lace. The entire table was covered with fruits, cheeses, slices of bread, and tiny slivers of meat. Two shining glasses of water were set in front of each seat, along with silverware and plates.

"I never know which fork goes with which." Suzu scowled.

"Forget about it, for today." Michael put an array of fruits onto one of the tinier plates before him. "Do as you like."

"Great!" Suzu grinned widely, showing her fangs. She dug in ravenously.

Michael watched her eat for a moment, with a somewhat wistful smile on his face. Sometimes he saw Lilith in her. _If she could hear me now… She'd probably laugh in my face._ The male became lost in forbidden memories, a hazy expression on his face.

"Well, jeez, if you're not gonna eat, say something!" Suzu admonished, taking a break from her feast. "Don't just stare at me!"

"Very well… what would you like to talk about?" The redhead took a sip of his water, amusement in his eyes.

The girl smirked, a cunning look on her face. "Forbidden stuff." She inwardly cheered at Michael's reaction.

The Archangel choked on his water and slammed the glass back down on the table. "What? What do you mean?"

"Oh come on! I got out of bed for you. Surely I get _something_ in return." Suzu grinned cheekily.

"Before I decline your offer, I am curious… what did you want to know?" Michael snorted, stabbing a piece of fruit and plunging it into his mouth.

"I wanna know about that lady in the history books." Suzu cocked her head to one side. "Back when Gamma put me in school… in history, we always talked about the Zenith Wars and how bad the demons were and everything. But there was this lady whose name I could never pronounce… but I remember the books always say she betrayed the Golden Ones and was sealed inside a cross."

"Naytievanol." Michael said slowly, rising up in his seat. Was she already exerting her influence over the girl? After saying she wouldn't? "Why do you want to know about her?"

Suzu jumped at the sharpness of Michael's tone. "I dunno… I've always been curious about her. But no one ever tells me anything. And the way I see it, if no one's going to tell me what happened to Gamma, I may as well try my luck and ask about this."

"What are you talking about?" The redhead narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not an idiot, Michael. I know I couldn't have defeated her by myself. I don't care what anyone says. I don't care how angry I was." Suzu angrily looked away. "And all of you seem content to dance around the issue, to placate me with lies-"

"Forbidden subjects are forbidden for a reason." Michael said firmly, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. "But stories can never be banned as long as we have voices to tell them. Because stories can be twisted, changed, until they no longer represent the reality they are supposed to depict. Stories... are sometimes far from the truth, sometimes not."

Suzu laughed out loud joyously, the anticipation nearly killing her. She snatched two slices of bread and put some strips of meat in between them. She lifted the bread up to her mouth, looking at Michael expectantly. And so, the Archangel began to speak:

"Before the Great War, all beings lived in peace: humans, demons, and angels… all coexisting in one realm. All were equal and prosperous. But there were some beings who desired power more than others. Some believed that the races were not equal at all. And some of them… wanted separation.

"Happiness can sometimes make one ignorant. Many beings, believed that there were only three races in existence. They were wrong. There were whispers of creatures; gangly, gruesome blue-skinned creatures, creatures that couldn't talk… only snarl. These creatures could use magic beyond everyone's imagination. Powerful spells that could bring forth a soul out of a demon's body, could heal any wound, could harness the power of the elements… and yet, only these creatures could use them.

"The demons believed they were entitled to this new magic. But some angels wanted it, too. One angel in particular… an angel I will call… Vanity. Now Vanity was a smart woman. She knew that war was inevitable, that the greed that had infested the demons would lead to battle. The demons would attack the humans and the angels would rise to defend them.

"Vanity desired power; it was all she wanted and desired. She didn't care what she had to do. All she wanted was access to that forbidden magic. So she did what no other woman of her time dreamed of doing. She used a spell on herself to make her appearance that of a man's, because at this primeval time, women were not soldiers. She enlisted in the angel's army, under the guise of a human male.

"Not many know how she accomplished it. But in the midst of the Zenith Wars, Vanity managed to possess a startling knowledge of this magic. She wielded it in battle and exposed herself as an Angel, becoming the first of her kind to acquire, not two, but _six_ wings, each of them a manifestation of her powerful magic. But through all this, no one, not a single Angel, realized that she was, in fact, female.

"Only one being saw through her disguise: a demon named Lilith. She had observed Vanity from afar-"

"Lilith!!! No way, she's in the history books, too!!!!" Suzu interrupted. Her mind was reeling with excitement. "There's a statue of her in one of the museums! Gamma took me there on a trip!"

"Are you going to let me finish?" Michael raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm… one more question and then, yes." The girl put her finger on her chin. "You changed… Nayti… or whatever, you changed her name. Why didn't you change Lilith's? She's just as taboo a topic!"

"You're abnormally perceptive for your age." The Archangel snorted, hiding his discomfort. "To change her name? Lilith would never..." He trailed off.

"Oh." Suzu scratched her black hair. "I don't get it, but that's alright. Keep going! It was just getting good! So, Lilith knew that Vanity was a girl, right?"

"Yes." Michael chuckled and continued on. "Lilith was, like you, very perceptive. By this time, of course, the demons were losing the war due to the use of Type Zero Enchantments. They had become desperate and were willing to ask anyone and everyone for aid. Lilith was the sort of demon who would only do something if it benefited her. And she saw an opportunity with Vanity.

"Lilith approached Vanity and the two made a deal. Lilith would keep Vanity's secret, but in return, if the demons lost the war, Lilith was to be protected. Vanity fully intended on honoring their agreement, but what she hadn't realized was that someone had seen them meeting.

"That someone… would eventually become the Angel of Death. So I'll refer to him by his occupation, Death. Death was obsessed with Vanity. He did not know that she was a woman and rather, did not care, something that was unheard of at this time. Death was delusional and believed that the two of them were in love. He did not realize that Vanity, as her name suggests, was very narcissistic. She loved herself more than anything else. She was not capable of loving another.

"Now Death never stuck around to hear their deal… he was so shocked by Vanity's apparent betrayal that he walked around, speechless for days, unsure of what to do-"

"Jeez… I always knew Taziel was an idiot." Suzu snorted, stuffing some kiwi into her mouth. "So, he STILL thinks Vanity's a guy?"

"Yes… he refused to see the truth that was before his eyes. His refusal blinded him. Furthermore, very few know of Naytievanol's true gender and even less talk of her." Michael stared at Suzu. "You are to never repeat this story to anyone, understood?"

"Cross my heart!" Suzu rang out cheerfully. "So what happened next? Did Taziel squeal to someone? And what happened?"

"I think you can guess what happened. The Angels had no proof of what Vanity had done, only hearsay. It caused an obvious rift between the Angels, those that believed Vanity should have been executed on the spot and those who wanted to use her powers to win the war. So they decided to act on neither impulse, simply focusing on defeating the demons.

"But a new race arose from the ashes, hearing the cries of the zombies. When the first ghost floated upon the earth, it was said that every babe in the land started to wail. And the wailing didn't stop for days. Neither did the extermination. The ghosts easily overpowered all three races. It left some beings nearly extinct, such as the Phoenixes.

"Five beings, one from each race, met in a neutral location and spoke about future relations. It was decided that the one realm would be split into five, to keep the previously coexisting beings separate. But Lilith did not agree with the council's decision… because demons were not allowed in Heaven. They of course wanted nothing to do with her and ignored her requests.

"But then another came along who thought he deserved to journey to Heaven. He was the first of a brand new race, labeled abominations by everyone else. We'll call him, Rain, after the element he controlled. Rain was a champion among some demons and all humans. He fought for the freedom of humans and for that, thought he was also entitled to a seat in paradise.

"Rain made his case before the newly appointed High Angels, but just as they rejected Lilith's demands, they rejected his as well. But Rain's charismatic words had enraptured Vanity. Vanity had never felt interested in someone more than she was interested in herself, so naturally she was curious. She did not understand why she felt drawn to Rain, but she did nothing to deter it.

"Vanity spoke with the High Angels, telling them that if they continued to rebuke Rain, the humans would begin to detest them. And she was right. Some of the humans dismissed Angels all together, thinking they no longer deserved the title and that they acted too high and mighty.

"The more humans became resentful of humans, the less of them made it to Heaven. It was a vicious cycle that lasted for years. Finally, the Angels relented and allowed Rain to enter Heaven. Humans and demons alike rejoiced. Rain thoroughly enjoyed himself in paradise, interacting with the Angels and humans. He learned, he explored, and he experienced… but someone was missing from his life.

"That someone was Vanity. You see, the two of them didn't realize it, but they were actually Twin Flames. It was thought that only Angels could have Twin Flames. But Vanity was not like other Angels. She was somewhat of an outcast and the only one of her kind to bear six wings. She knew far too much about the illegal magic. So rather than associate with her, most Angels left her alone. Furthermore, she was still pretending to be male, which isolated her even more. Only Death still socialized with her, because he was unhealthily obsessed with her.

"Rain, while a hero to humans, was still seen as an abomination. He was the first of his kind... and very alone. Many demons detested him and the humans were beginning to forget about all he had done for them. More half-demons were being born, but they were not as revered as he. He had a lot of pressure on him... and he never felt that he could identify with humans or demons. And the Angels looked down upon him. So while Rain was first ecstatic about being in Heaven, he was starting to fall into a deep depression.

"One day, while trying to avoid Death, Vanity collided with Rain. From the moment their eyes met, they felt the connection between them. It didn't help that they both had purple eyes-"

"Like me!" Suzu interjected cheerfully.

"Yes, Suzu, like you." Michael drank some more of his water.

The chirping birds suddenly quieted. A bright light appeared out of nowhere and a tanned male appeared. He had short, spiky, black hair and was dressed from the neck down in metal armor. "Don't you think this story has gone on long enough?" The being had short, but wide beige wings and startling, turquoise eyes.

"Aw, come on, Uriel! It was just getting good!" Suzu pouted.

"A story is never too long." Michael smiled cryptically and stood up.

"You're going to be late for Prayer Duty." Uriel narrowed his bright eyes.

"I see. Suzu, I'm afraid we have to leave." The redhead gestured to the table below him and all the remaining food disappeared.

"No fair!" The dog demon rolled her eyes and pushed away from the table. She stood up, hands balled into fists. "You ruin everything, Uriel. You're no fun."

"Regardless, it's time for you to leave. Kizura would like to see you." Uriel opened the door to the observatory and walked out.

Michael held his hand out and Suzu instantly grabbed it. "I will take you to her room." He led her out of the room, thinking not of Prayer Duty, but of a time long ago, a time that was now as a part of Suzu as it was a part of him. The only difference was he knew the whole truth… but she didn't. And judging by Uriel's actions, the other Archangels didn't want her to know.

* * *

Zion was sentenced to five years in jail… a minor slap on the wrist. Kizura, naturally, was outraged. Suzu was allowed to train all year round, as there was no point in sealing her powers anymore. Kizura enrolled her back in school so she would be around other Angels. Suzu went to visit Zion every day. Some days she went after school and some days she went after training.

When Zion was released from jail, Kizura offered to promote him to High Angel, to keep him away from Suzu. But he declined, saying that he simply wished for his old job back. So one day, Suzu and Zion traveled to the Demon Realm to talk in private…

* * *

Zion and Suzu walked through the abandoned, rocky beach. The sand was hard, the air was cold, and it was partly cloudy out. But Suzu loved visiting the Demon Realm, because it was always sunny and bright in Heaven. It was nice to see something different every now and then.

"How long is everyone going to keep the truth from me?" Suzu stood up, facing the grand ocean before her.

"I'm sorry… I wish I could tell you. But it's forbidden." Zion didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say or how to comfort her.

"I don't know…" Suzu sighed as she flippantly tossed a rock into the ocean. A seagull squawked boastfully above them. "I don't know if I can ever trust you again." She sat down in the sand, stretching her legs out.

Her words cut Zion like a knife. "I understand." The Angel replied. The salty breeze whistled through his long hair.

"I mean, I'm going to try, I guess." Suzu shrugged, placing her chin in her hands. "But it hurts, you know? You tried to use me to get ahead… What I don't get is why you just didn't take the promotion. She would've made you a High Angel. You would've gotten what you wanted."

"What I want is to atone for my sins." Zion declared. "What I used to want has… changed." She intrigued him, not only because of her innocent heart, but because of the dormant power that was nestled in her soul. He wanted to see if she was as formidable as Raziel had prophesized. But most of all, her very being intrigued him; it was as if the two of them were tied to one another. Either way, he didn't want to leave her side. Not yet.

They weren't back to the way they were. But they would try.

* * *

Suzu plopped down into the grass, breathing heavily. "I'm tired. No more." She shielded her eyes from the light.

"If you have enough energy to complain, you can certainly get up." Zion leaned over her fallen body, a disapproving expression on his face.

"Do me a favor. Take that stick out of your ass and smile for once." Suzu snapped back, rolling over onto her stomach. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and sighed loudly.

"Get up." Zion repeated firmly. "This is what you wanted, wasn't it… to train every day?"

"I don't have to do what you say. You're not the boss of me." The dark-haired girl snorted.

"I am in charge of-" Zion broke off as the Archangel Michael teleported into the vicinity. His commanding aura immediately changed the situation. Zion felt as if he was being watched and judged by eyes that were never satisfied. It made Zion angry, that Michael would just walk into the girl's life whenever it was convenient for him. It wasn't fair to Suzu. She looked up to the Archangel, everyone could tell. But he wasn't the type of being to come when he was called. He appeared when he wanted to… and not a moment sooner. Michael was selfish, stubborn, and arrogant.

Michael walked over to Suzu and stared down at her. Suzu instantly stood up, a sheepish expression on her face.

"You're bored, aren't you?" Michael guessed. His trademark flaming sword appeared in his hands.

"Um… yea, I guess so." Suzu shrugged, but nevertheless, her blades, the twin Egyptian khopesh that the redhead had given to her eons ago materialized into her palms.

"You're strong. But your magical abilities have yet to be honed. Your element is fire, yes?"

"Yes!"

"Very well… drop your blades then. You will not use them."

Zion was amazed that Michael seemed to understand Suzu better than he did. He was Suzu's Guardian Angel; he was around the girl most. And yet, this Archangel, who was never around, understood his charge on a level he could never begin to grasp. When would Zion learn to read Suzu like Michael could?

Zion watched Michael and Suzu train together. Oddly enough, their movements seemed parallel. They were able to anticipate each other's moves and respond within nanoseconds. He watched as they dueled until nightfall, until Michael left to meet with the other Archangels. He never understood why the redhead would sporadically make time for his charge. He didn't want to know.

* * *

Suzu was lying in bed, unable to get up due to disbelief. She didn't realize it until she had a dream about him last night. A dream in which Zion was… kissing her! She was almost thirteen hundred and her body was finally beginning to develop. But with those changes came other changes, too. So she was finally growing up. Everyone had crushes, didn't they? But she was ignorant, blind to her own feelings. It made sense, because they spent so much time together, it was practically bound to happen. It was normal for such a thing to happen, right?

But now it would be impossible for her to act normal around him.

Suzu groaned loudly and rolled out of bed. _I can't do this. I can't do this._ A blush covered her cheeks and she let out an annoyed scream. _Just thinking about him makes me crazy! And he's **old**! What the hell is wrong with me?_

As if Fate was taunting her, someone knocked quickly on her door. "Suzu? Are you dressed yet? We're leaving." Zion's voice drifted into her room. Why was his voice so tantalizing? Why was her face bright red?

_I'm going to kill someone._ She wanted to squash these stupid feelings and make them disappear. She didn't have time for a stupid crush, especially one on her frickin Guardian Angel! How was she supposed to function now, when all she could think about was him kissing her? And she had never even been kissed before. She didn't know what to expect, but she always thought it was gross. But she didn't feel gross. She wanted him to kiss her. What the hell?!?

"Suzu, what are you doing?" Zion walked into Suzu's room without warning.

Suzu froze and turned around. She feigned anger. "What the hell are you doing here? Get out!!!" She pushed at his robes feebly. She didn't want to touch him. She wanted him to touch her… no, wait that was gross! What was she thinking? But she _wasn't_ thinking. That was it.

Zion raised an eyebrow at his charge. She was in one of her moods again. "Kizura is not going to be happy if we're late. Again." He noted how red her face was and how disheveled she looked. The girl was nowhere near ready to leave.

"I don't care. Let her come after me. I'll kill her!" Suzu hissed. "Now get out!"

"As you wish." Zion replied nonchalantly, shutting the door behind him as he left.

As soon as he left, Suzu fell to her knees. _How am I going to do this without making a complete fool of myself?_ The dog demon tried to calm her racing mind. _I've never had a crush before. I mean, I've heard of it, but I don't know what to do with it. I have to act normal, even though I don't feel normal? _

But then the girl realized: she faked her feelings all the time. Whenever Kizura dragged her to a ball, or a meeting, or some other kind of gathering, Suzu always had to pretend like she wanted to be there. She had to be polite and friendly and gracious and act like it was okay that she was being judged and whatnot. How was this any different?

* * *

Zion sat with his back to a dogwood tree. The sky was just beginning to change color. He watched as Michael and Suzu fought each other vigorously. Michael had been training with the girl more often, by the latter's request. The fact that Michael even heeded Suzu's request was astonishing. The redhead was around all the time now.

Zion didn't like it. He felt as if he wasn't needed. The fact that Suzu had started to act odd around him didn't exactly help the situation. His charge was avoiding him more. If they did interact, she was strangely formal. She rarely talked to him about anything anymore, her feelings, her dreams, her thoughts... nothing. She used to be as open as a book… and now he couldn't read her at all. The language had changed. And it had been going on for years now. He didn't understand why.

Michael zipped at Suzu, flaming sword in hand. Suzu grinned maliciously as both of her fists became inflamed. She jumped in the air and twisted her body around just in time to block Michael's infamous sword. Suzu punched Michael in the chest, sending his body back a few feet.

The dog demon held her left hand out, the fire energy swirling in her palm. The fire energy changed into a narrow disk made of flames. "Yes! I did it!" Suzu whooped as she hopped onto the fiery disk and soared towards Michael.

"You can't always rely on that. Eventually, you need to fly on your own." Michael narrowed his eyes.

"Well I'm not using those stupid Angel wings! Never!" Suzu shouted back. She had vowed never to release the wings of an Angel with the blood that ran through her veins, because it was the blood that ran through Kizura's veins, the blood that had killed her Father.

Zion stood up. The two of them were engaged in each other. He finally understood the "three's a crowd" saying. He was intruding. The reason why Suzu asked Michael to start training with her was because _he_ was too weak to do so. Suzu was stronger, much stronger than he could ever be. Suzu needed someone strong to train with. And he wasn't the one. Michael was. It made sense... Michael was an Archangel and Zion was just her Guardian.

So why did it hurt so much for Zion to leave?

Suzu turned around as soon as she felt Zion's presence vanish. _He's gone… I did it. I chased him away._ The female lowered herself to the grass and her fiery disk faded away. Tears filled her eyes.

"Suzu…" Michael's sword disappeared and he was by her side in an instant. The girl hadn't told him anything, but he could tell.

"I'm fine…" Suzu forced a smile on her face. "Just a little tired… I need a minute. Then you can go back to kicking my ass."

"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" The Archangel crossed his arms over his chest.

Suzu's purple eyes widened. But then they hardened. "Yup. I'm ready. Where's your sword?" She rose to her feet, tears forgotten. For now.

* * *

A few months later, Kizura and Suzu were walking through the business district of Heaven. Angels and High Angels strolled about, for the most part, ignoring the duo. Astrum de Platea was a few blocks away. But the center of the district was always overcrowded. Suzu was glad they weren't walking there... too many damn Angels around.

"What's going on with you and Zion?" Kizura asked casually, causing her heir to stop in her tracks.

"N-nothing… why do you ask?" Suzu avoided her Grandmother's gaze. "And even if there was something going on, it's none of your business, Gamma."

"The two of you are hardly around each other anymore. What am I paying him for if he's not watching you?" Kizura snapped out.

"Well, maybe I don't want him breathing down my neck!" Suzu retorted. "And that goes double for you!"

"Don't you dare talk to me like that-" Kizura's eyes flashed red and then she calmed herself down. She took one look at her granddaughter, the sad look in her purple eyes, and she knew. The realization made her even angrier, not with Suzu, but with Zion. "You love him."

Suzu's throat clamped down and her heart started pounding. "Yeah… I do." She murmured to herself, not noticing how Kizura's eyes flashed red again.

At least her heir was smart enough to stay away from Zion and not act on her feelings. Kizura inwardly sighed. But she was going to wring that fool's neck. "I want him away from you." Kizura snarled, stomping her heels on the ground.

Suzu let out a bitter laugh. "So do I… it hurts." It felt good to talk about her feelings. Keeping them inside for so long had changed something in Suzu. It made her angry, cynical, and dark. She didn't like it. She hated pining away for something she could never have. She hated the feeling of loving Zion and having him so close to her, but yet she couldn't have him the way she wanted. And how many more decades could she keep this up?

"Then hurt him." Kizura replied simply. "That's the only way to drive a man away. Stab his pride." _Then may he never come back._

_Is that really the right thing to do?_ Suzu wondered. She didn't want to hurt Zion. But she couldn't tell him about her feelings. He'd laugh in her face, say how young and naïve she was, how unattractive he found her… she couldn't tell him. But was it fair to hurt him? Was it right?

* * *

Days later, Suzu invited Zion to have lunch with her in one of the many gardens of Heaven. "Hey Zion." The girl began as she started cutting her meat.

"Yes?" Zion almost smiled. She was talking like she used to. It made him happy. It made him think that finally, maybe they could go back to the way they were.

"Why are boys such idiots?" Suzu stuffed some chicken into her mouth.

"… Not all boys are idiots, Suzu." The Guardian Angel shook his head.

"Well, the ones in school are. I swear… putting me in a stuck up Angel school was probably the worst idea Gamma's ever had. I mean, I thought she fucked up when she… ok, ok, sorry, I thought she _messed_ up when she picked you to be my Guardian.

"But… what good could possibly come of me being around a bunch of snooty Angel brats? None of them like me. The boys constantly tease me for not being full-blooded like they are… and the girls ignore me and or give me dirty looks. The teachers won't call on me, even if I'm the only one raising my hand. Does she just want me to be miserable?" Suzu sighed dramatically as she finished her false tirade.

"She doesn't want you to be miserable. I think she wants you to learn a valuable lesson: How Angels perceive you. Most Angels, by nature, look down on everyone else… literally and figuratively, as Heaven is located in the planet's exosphere." _**Finally**_, the two of them were having an actual conversation. Zion was eager to talk. The words were just flying off his tongue. He was relieved. Maybe she would stop acting weird.

"That's one thing I've always wondered… whenever we leave to go to the Demon Realm, we always teleport. But how would we get back manually?" Suzu feigned curiosity. She didn't care. She would probably learn in school anyway. And if the teachers didn't want to tell her, she could just ask Michael. She would probably be spending more time with him anyway.

"The Demon Realm, Half-Demon Realm and the Human Realm all have portals in their exospheres and inner cores. The portal in the exosphere leads to Heaven and the portal in the inner core leads to Hell. But because of their respective locations… it is nearly impossible to reach them manually. That is why teleportation is much more efficient and safe."

"But what if someone did it? What if someone managed to reach the portal in the exosphere of like… the Human Realm? What would happen then?"

"Well… if that being was alive when they touched the portal and entered Heaven, they should be allowed to leave in the same exact state, I believe. No matter how much time they spend here." Why was she asking him so many questions? Zion was started to get annoyed. And she hadn't even explained her odd behavior. That was what they needed to talk about. Was she going to act like they hadn't grown distant for over a century?

"That's so cool… if I did it, I'd be famous!" Suzu smirked as if she truly believed she could do such a thing. She had thrown the bait.

"Suzu… you wouldn't last in the exosphere or the inner core. You'd either be incinerated in nanoseconds or suffocate or be torn apart by gravity." Zion rolled his eyes. His tone matched his angry thoughts, his unanswered questions. His temper was rising.

He was frustrated… she had successfully provoked him. "Oh please… the inner core is just fire and brimstone and all that nonsense. I can handle that. I am-" Suzu knew Zion, knew him more than she knew herself. She knew exactly which buttons to push. And right now, she wasn't pushing, she was _smashing_.

"No, you're not. You're **_cocky_**, that's what you are. Your affinity for fire will not aid you in the inner core. Going to the inner core or even suggesting such a thing is just as idiotic as proposing to kiss the Sun and walk away unscathed. Foolish talk like that will only get you killed."

"I think we're done having this conversation. I'm not hungry anymore."

"Excuse me?"

"I've no reason to talk to you anymore. And you've no right to judge me like that."

"What is the matter with you?"

"You can never take a fucking joke, can you? I know I can't fucking to the inner core! I'm **_NOT_** an idiot! All I wanted was to take my mind off school! And you know why? Because there, they all try to bring me down! They don't think I belong there! They hate me!

"And you're no better than they are! Every time, you always bring me down. You never let me imagine, hope, dream… it's always reality with you. I can't be anything, I can't do anything; I can't break any records or cross any boundaries or do anything that doesn't fit into your fucking mold! You don't believe in me at all, do you? Just once, Zion, once I want you to say: 'You can be anything you want.' Or: 'You can do anything.'

"Why can't you believe in me? Why can't you believe in anything? Even if it's just for a second… even if it's about something ridiculous or impossible or implausible… why can't you just believe? Why can't you believe for a **second** that unexpected things do happen? Why can't you believe that pigs can fly, that-" Suzu broke off as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Oh gods, she was doing it, she was chasing him away. She was no better than Kizura, pushing the one that meant the most to her away. That was why Kizura did not have a mate. She did not allow herself to be tied down by love. Was Suzu's fate the same? Was she destined to be alone?

"Nothing good comes of thinking of what could be. Thinking of _what is_… that is more valuable. More importantly, why are you acting this way? This isn't like you at all. Suzu, just tell me what's wrong. Did Kizura put you up to this?" Zion stood up and started to walk towards Suzu.

"I don't want to see your face again." Suzu didn't look at Zion. "I'm old enough to terminate you. I, Suzu, hereby-"

"Suzu!" Zion's eyes widened, shouting over her. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Why was she overreacting like this? It didn't make any sense. If she uttered those fateful words… it was over. It was all over. Was this why she had called him here in the first place, to dismiss him like this… to break him coldly? IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE!

"-dismiss you from your service. You are no longer my Guardian." Suzu stood up and crossed her arms over her chest. "I will have my Grandmother promote you to High Angel. It's what you wanted, right? It's all you've ever wanted." It wasn't what either of them wanted... but she couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't pretend that she didn't love him. So it was better to push him away, to make him hate her... maybe she could hate him, too.

Something inside Zion broke… he would realize later that it was his heart. "I will take my leave then. Farewell." Zion teleported out of the gardens, eyes hardened.

Suzu fell to her knees and cried. At one-thousand, five hundred and twenty-three years old, Suzu lost her Guardian Angel. They wouldn't see each other for nearly half a century…

* * *

"Ugh!! Why do we have to go to this?" Suzu tugged on her Grandmother's arm as they stalked through a pearl white hallway.

"Oh hush. Bartholomew's going to be there, so you can leave early and fuck or whatever it is the two of you do when you think I'm not spying on you." Kizura ripped her arm out of Suzu's grip. The two of them were wearing ball gowns, high heels, and sparkling jewelry.

"Ok, first… creepy much, Gamma? Second, this is Heaven… premarital sex is kind of forbidden. Third, have you met my boyfriend? He's such a fucking prude! It took him FOREVER to kiss me." Suzu was wearing an exquisite, red gown, with ruffled sleeves that circled her shoulders and left the rest of her arms bare. The dress hugged her curves and then swished and swooped down to the floor.

"No one ever said courting an Angel would be easy." Kizura smirked wryly. She was quite pleased that Suzu was dating; she thought her granddaughter would never get over her naïve crush on Zion. Thankfully, time healed most diseases. Kizura was happy that Zion wasn't around Suzu anymore… they had been much too attached to each other. It was inappropriate on his part… allowing himself to get emotionally attached to his charge.

"Don't let him hear you call him _just_ an Angel. Bartholomew is a High Angel." Suzu feigned snobbishness, sticking her nose into the air.

"Insolent child." Kizura sighed, shaking her head. She was wearing an elegant, dark blue dress and white, satin gloves that extended to her upper arms.

"You love me!" Suzu declared, cutely wrinkling her nose. It was a habit she had picked up from her summons. The two of them reached the banquet doors and they swung wide automatically. Every Angel in the entire room turned to them for a moment and then went back to their business. The room buzzed with wine and conversation.

Kizura and Suzu walked over to the host of the ball, Michael. The redhead was standing near the appetizers. They had been placed on a crystal table. The three of them chatted about trivialities for a couple minutes, until Michael left to tend to the rest of his guests.

"What do you want to drink?" Kizura asked Suzu. Her heir shrugged in response, so the Hybrid simply walked off.

Suzu smiled. It was nice, being at a party. No one really spoke to her and if they did, it wasn't for very long. Plus being at a party meant free food. And she loved to eat. She talked to some Angels that she knew from school. Then she jumped around from table to table, trying every food within her reach. Just as Suzu was about to try the fried calamari, the unthinkable happened.

"I thought you hated dressing up." A deep voice uttered from behind Suzu. The dog demon's eyes widened; she knew that voice. That voice had haunted her in her sleep for hundreds of years. She wished time would freeze so she could have a moment to think about how to react, what to do, what to say, what facial expression to adopt… but she had nothing.

So Suzu winged it. She whirled around, her dress elegantly following her movements. Suzu stared into the cold, silver eyes of her former Guardian Angel. Her heart skipped a beat as she took in his presence. He was wearing a traditional, black suit, white tie, black shoes, etc… but he looked damn good. It looked more like the suit was wearing Zion, because he dominated it, he made it look better, he enhanced it. He had gotten more toned, that much she could tell. Or maybe she had forgotten how fit he was.

"Hi." Was all Suzu could say, a slight blush covering her cheeks. _Fuck, I'm done. I can't believe this… it's like I'm a little kid again. Pull yourself together, you old broad! You're almost two-thousand! That's much too old to fall for the charms of a stupid, egotistical, cold-hearted, materialistic, cynic who only cares about-_

Zion took another step towards her. "You certainly seemed to have flourished during my absence." The High Angel cocked an eyebrow as he looked her up and down… slowly. His stare lingered on her bosom, which was accentuated by the dress. Then his eyes traveled up to her purple eyes and softened.

She was going to hyperventilate and die. She would rather kiss the Sun than feel the heat of his sweltering gaze. She couldn't remember a time when she was so terrified, but excited at the same time. "I… I missed you." Suzu lowered her eyes, shoulders shaking. She took a step forward, although it felt more like floating.

Zion leaned down and grasped Suzu's chin with one hand. His other arm curved around her waist and pulled her to him. She was so close to him she could've reached out and touched his wings. The female gulped and shivered slightly. How could she be so hot and so cold at the same time? What was he doing to her?

"I hope you and Bartholomew are very happy together." He uttered into her ear, his cruel bitter tone going unnoticed for the time being. "He seems perfect for you." Then, gently, carefully, Zion's lips pressed against her cheek. And just like that, he released her, smirked, and walked away.

Suzu's chest began to heave up and down. _Wait… did he just… leave?_ She thought to herself. She was dazed from whatever spell he had put on her. But then realization dawned on her and the sinking feeling came. The warmth vanished, flushed out of her system. She recalled his words, the attitude in his voice. She felt sick.

_He played me like a fucking fiddle…_ Suzu took a deep breath. She was either going to explode or implode. Neither one of those things was proper ballroom etiquette. _Breathe, breathe, breathe… just concentrate on breathing… it'll all be okay. _Suzu stumbled over to the nearest chair and plopped down into it. She felt frozen and dead inside. _How could he do such a thing? Why would he do such a thing?_

"Suzu? What are you doing sitting down?" Kizura walked over to her granddaughter, carrying the drinks she ordered. "You need to socialize."

"I've done enough of that, thank you very much." Suzu snatched the drink out of Kizura's hand and started to chug it. She didn't care if anyone stared at her. It was either this or suicide. And suicide was starting to look pretty damn good. How did Zion even know about Bartholomew? And why did she feel guilty?

Suzu had always dreamed of their reunion. It wasn't supposed to be perfect… but it wasn't supposed to be a nightmare either. It would be complicated and chaotic and out of control and angry, because that was how their relationship used to be. Maybe they would hug. Maybe he'd ruffle her hair. But this… this was something else. It was sick and wrong and horrific. He had ogled her like a piece of purchased meat, and then left disgusted, as if she was a common whore, tainted.

"Suzu? Suzu, I'm talking to you!" Kizura hissed, her eyes flashing at her granddaughter.

"I'm afraid I have to go." Suzu downed the rest of her drink. "If you need me, I'll be in my room." Maybe she was tainted. It was her fault, wasn't it?

"_Suzu. What is wrong with you?_" Kizura demanded.

Suzu laughed out loud, covering her mouth with her hand. "Why don't you ask Zion? I'm sure he'll tell you." She said over her shoulder as she sauntered away. She was gone, she was gone. There was nothing inside of her. And to be empty, was to be free. Free of everything, free of all the wishes and hopes and dreams she had. Because she loved him… she did. And just like she threw him away, he had just thrown her away. She meant nothing to him. She was just another female now, just another body he wouldn't bother to lust after. No one was good enough for him... certainly not her.

Right before Suzu walked out of the ballroom, she turned around and took one last look around. Michael was staring at her quizzically. Kizura was stalking towards Zion, who was waltzing with some blonde-haired beauty. Zion stiffened for a second and turned, looking straight at her. Suzu lifted her hand up to her forehead and gave the Angel a mock, two-fingered salute. She twirled and exited the ballroom. The doors shut after her.

* * *

It was ironic that Heaven had a gigantic statue of Lilith, being that she was one of the universe's most feared demons. But there she was, sinister and beautiful, the face of a warrior, the body of a temptress… Lilith was breathtaking. And to think… she was only a statue in a pitch black museum. But her daunting presence had sparked many a horror story.

Suzu was leaning against the base of the grand statue. No one was in this district, not at this time of night. No one would think to look for her here. Suzu had always found comfort in the statue, despite the fact that it scared her. She was a little obsessed with the demon, always had been since she was younger.

Because Lilith was a demon, so cunning and powerful and legendary, the Angels built the statue as a reminder… a reminder to stay on their toes, a reminder to never underestimate the power of a demon. It was tremendous pressure, to be… to be venerated by demons and cursed by Angels. Suzu knew she could never deal with the pressure. But at the same time, she envied Lilith.

There was a flash of light and someone entered the museum. The being strode over to her quickly. "All of Heaven is looking for you." Suzu looked up into the calm, blue eyes of Michael, who knew exactly where to find her.

"I'm not that special." Suzu chuckled bitterly. "How'd you find me?"

"I know you like this statue." The Archangel replied simply.

"Well I need to go." Suzu started to get up, but Michael sat down on the ground next to her. Her jaw dropped open and she sat back down. "What are you doing?"

"Lilith is beautiful, isn't she?" Michael said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

"Uh… yeah, I guess." Suzu ran her fingers through her hair. "Umm… if you don't mind me asking, did you know her?" She recalled Michael telling her some kind of story long ago, back when Zion was in prison.

"Yes." Michael smiled in the darkness. "She was a charismatic leader. She believed that demons deserved to go to Heaven and demanded to know why they couldn't. So the Angels told her that if she could make it here without teleporting, then she could stay as long as she'd like. And she did it. To this day, we have no idea how Lilith succeeded."

"Wait a minute… she made it through the exosphere?!? No way!!! So someone actually did it? How long did she stay?"

"Long enough to earn her place in this museum." Michael snorted, shaking his wings for a second. "If I recall correctly, the last time she came to Heaven, she was caught conspiring with a half-demon… Shu was his name. That was the last straw… we expelled her and imprisoned him here. She is trapped in the depths of Saiaku and he is frozen inside a chamber surrounded by clouds."

The two of them sat in silence for a couple minutes. But she couldn't take the quiet anymore. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Suzu smiled sadly. "I'm not a kid anymore... there's no reason for you to comfort me."

"I too, know the pain of loving someone whose pride is bigger than your own. And the two of us certainly have big egos." Michael stood up and extended his hand. Suzu took it reluctantly and got pulled to her feet. "And if he loves you back, then he will relinquish his pride and leave himself helpless before you. If he does not, then walk away with your head high and make him regret ever letting you go."

Tears silently ran down Suzu's cheeks. "Let's go back." She sniffled, wiping her cheeks. "I'm going to make him suffer."

"Music to my ears." Michael smiled and stole a look at the statue of Lilith. He could've sworn it was jeering at him. He buried the uneasy feeling away and concentrated on the ballroom. The two of them vanished, leaving the statue behind. If they had stayed any longer, they would have heard an eerie, dark chuckle.

* * *

Suzu started seeing Bartholomew more formally. She pushed all thoughts of Zion away from her mind. When Kizura asked, she never told. She acted as if their encounter didn't bother her, as if she wasn't hurt and mortified. The female held her head high and refused to show that she was in pain. And it worked… until she saw him again two months later.

Suzu was walking towards Kizura's room. The two of them had to go dress shopping. She didn't want to go, hated dressing up, but she had no choice. The dog demon would much rather be training than trying on dresses. She scowled as she stomped her feet down the hallway.

"I didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon." Zion's voice caused her to freeze in place for a moment.

Suzu slowly turned around. Zion was behind her, closing one of the doors in the hallway. He locked it slowly, not looking in her direction. The female bristled, her fangs biting into her gums.

"Too soon." She snarled out, balling her hands into fists. How dare he be so smug? She commanded her heart and stomach to calm down. It wasn't working.

Zion pocketed the key and strolled over to her. "Really? I was under the impression that you missed me. Isn't that what you said?" His voice was almost gleeful. But she could see the malice in his eyes.

"I said what I thought you wanted to hear." Suzu lied smoothly, keeping her voice as emotionless as possible. Her anger would only please him. "Do you want the truth, Zion? Do you want to know how I truly feel about you?"

Zion narrowed his eyes, towering over her. "I want nothing more from you." He seethed, spinning on his heel and stalking away in the opposite direction.

"Good." Suzu smirked at his retreating back. "Then the next time you see me, you shouldn't feel any need to say anything at all." As soon as Zion was out of sight, she slumped against the wall and fell to the ground. She cursed him over and over again. She couldn't wish for Michael to come find her and make it all better. Words could only do so much. She couldn't tell Kizura, because she would just use it as an excuse to attack him again. She had no one to turn to in moments like these, when she felt so powerless and hopeless and inadequate and stupid and ugly and just, just so unwanted.

_Will I ever be happy?_ The female thought as she forced herself to stand up. Even if she wasn't happy, at least she was still alive. And so, Suzu trudged on towards Kizura's room, already making up a scenario to explain why she was late…

* * *

The clouds drifted above Michael and Suzu. They were lying on the grass, the wind rustling through the field and their hair. It was a peaceful day, for once.

"Remember that story you told me when I was a kid?" Suzu chuckled out. Her three rabbits were prancing about in the field, nibbling on flowers. They loved coming out on days like this. And her summons deserved some free time, because they served her faithfully.

"I think so…" Michael replied, closing his eyes. It was nice to just relax.

"Tell me more. I want to know what happened with Nay… I mean, Vanity." The dog demon grinned.

"I don't remember where I left off… it was so long ago…"

"Oh, cut the bullshit. I think Sh... Rain was in Heaven or something?"

"Ah, yes, yes, once Rain arrived in Heaven, it didn't take long for Lilith to find out. She demanded again to be allowed into Heaven. The Angels knew how powerful Lilith was… and to further promote peace among the races, they gave her a test and told her that if she passed, she could come to Heaven. Of course, she passed, so Lilith became the first and only full-blooded demon to enter Heaven.

"Vanity, Rain, and Lilith were the unlikely trio of Heaven, they were a force to be reckoned with. Angels and humans alike were afraid of what they could do. But as you know, fear can easily turn into hate. The Angels always suspected Vanity was after the zombie's magic. And now she had been 'scheming' with a demon. Some of the Angels attempted to seal her away inside of a cross… but they failed. Her power could not be contained into such a small object…

"But the other Angels didn't want everyone to know that Vanity was not inside the cross. It would mean they had failed. It would mean that Vanity was stronger than the Archangels."

"So you mean all the textbooks lied? Then… if she's not in the cross, where is she? And what's really inside the cross?"

"That, my dear, is something is one of many things I can never tell you."

"You suck! Okay, tell me more. What other dirty secrets are you Angels keeping from us?"

"Well… there is a certain prophecy."

"A prophecy! Tell me, tell me!"

"That's your Grandmother's job, not mine. Ask me something else."

"Aw... you're horrible! You can't tease me like that! So... tell me more about what they did in Heaven. I'll bet Death was really jealous."

"Yes... Death was extremely jealous of Rain and tried to kill him once. He did not understand why Rain was so close to Vanity and he was not. It plagued him for years..."

* * *

Weeks passed and luckily, Suzu hadn't seen Zion at all. She was currently standing in front of her mirror. She put her hands on her hips. Her purple eye stared back at her. _I'm not sure if I like it… _The dog demon had cut her hair so that her bangs covered one of her eyes. She looked kind of mysterious. The female shrugged and started to put on some makeup.

Someone rapped on her door. It was probably Bartholomew. He was impatient. She was always late when she was getting ready; she couldn't help it. But he didn't mind… that much. He was going to propose to her soon. She would probably say yes. Not that it mattered much to her. She didn't _really_ love him, but she loved children. She wouldn't mind having some with him.

"You can come in, Bart. I'm not ready yet." Suzu hollered.

The door opened and someone walked in. Suzu froze as a certain scent entered her nose. It wasn't Bartholomew. It was Zion. Suzu whirled around, just in time to see her former Guardian shut the door behind him.

"We need to talk." Zion said simply. He walked over to her bed and sat down, facing her.

"G-get out!" Suzu shouted. How dare he just barge in here? She slammed her makeup onto her dresser angrily.

"No. I'm not leaving until we talk." The High Angel answered firmly.

"I thought you didn't want-"

"I lied." Zion interrupted, causing Suzu's eyes to widen. "You've been on my mind… for decades. Did you really think that I could-"

"I don't care!" Suzu clamped her hands over her ears… not that it would help. "God, why can't you just leave me alone?"

"I was stupid. I didn't realize how you felt about me… until you were gone. Until I looked back and retraced my memories. Until I saw you with him." Zion stood up, his silvery blue hair swishing as he stalked towards her.

Suzu backed up until she hit the wall behind her. "It doesn't matter how I felt. Go be stupid somewhere else!" She seethed out.

"Why do you keep trying to push me away?" Zion didn't stop walking until he was right in front of Suzu. His silver eyes bored into her purple ones. He reached up a hand to stroke her hair, but she knocked it away. "Why?!?"

"Because I can't trust you!" Suzu screamed back.

"Still? After all these years… you can't?" The pain stabbed Zion again... that same pain.

"I can't trust anyone… not even you… especially you. You all lied to me… about _that_ day. When I was a kid and Gamma tried to kill you. No one ever talks about it. You all just act like it didn't happen. And I've forgotten a lot… but I do remember that there's a piece of me missing. And I don't know if it's _you_ or if it's the memory I don't have." Suzu forced herself to look away from him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I lied to you. But you lied, too." Zion hung his head, his hair cascading down his shoulders like rain.

"I lied to protect myself. How can I be with someone that-" She broke off as Zion kissed her. It was better than her dream. Suzu threw herself into Zion's embrace. They kissed feverishly, one of his hands in her hair, the other undressing her. Her legs were around his waist, her fingers nimbly unbuttoning his robe. In the back of her mind, Suzu made a mental note to break up with Bartholomew. "You're hired... again." She mumbled in between kisses.

Maybe she would never know the truth. But today, she knew something else. She had him.

* * *

**Okay, sorry I cut it off here. I don't have the energy to write anymore about the two of them and this is getting too long. I want to get back to the original plot. Sorry if this is badly written, but it's just an Intermission… and if you hate it that badly lol, I'll rewrite it and post it again. **

**But anyways, the next chapter is back to the present. Now that Shuichi has defeated Horobosu, it's time to say goodbye to Suzu. Shuichi, Tiril, and Apollyon travel on, towards the end of their long journey. And what's this? Someone gives Shuichi a present?  
**


	54. Chapter 39: Au Revoir

**Hi everyone!! Sorry if there are any mistakes; kindly let me know if there are. Remember, let me know your thoughts :) **

JasLine, alectera, cain aidan, and lilgurlanima - Thank YOU for reviewing Intermission 02A.

min-min, huggable, The Lady Caroline Muze, and RiverSakina - Thank YOU for responding to my author's note. Since _the powers that be_ won't remove dhh's review, I'm not removing my author note.

IchikoKitsuneKoumori, ichika7walkure, Geminirose, EmInArEvOl, lilgurlanima and RiverSakina - Thank YOU for reviewing Intermission 02B.

**I'm sorry that I haven't responded to all of your reviews. I do apologize but I want you all to know that I appreciate everything you write, I do. It brings me such joy and relief to know what you guys think of my story. All of you have such distinct, pleasant voices and it comes in out in the way you all review. I was going back through all of them to see who had voted for baby names and just reading all your words made my spirit smile. Please continue to review!!  
**

**Just in case you don't feel like reading my message at the bottom, here are my highlights: **

**1. If you paid close attention while reading the last Intermission and watched _Definitely Maybe_, then you should be able to figure out the secret in this chapter.  
**

**2. There's a poll on my profile about Hiroshi's daughter. Vote on my profile or by review if you want! If you don't vote, that's fine, just don't complain about the whichever name wins. I will be adding all previous votes from reviews plus the profile votes together to calculate the winner. So far, _Dahlia_ is winning. Don't like it? Vote lol!  
**

**3. Don't expect another update from me until after June 24th. Why? I'm doing study abroad in Japan from May 19th - June 24th. Sayonara!!!!!!!!!**

**Twenty pages of insanity... ready? Go!!!!!!!!  
**

_**

* * *

CHAPTER 39: **_

_**AU REVOIR

* * *

**_

The sky was lightening by the time Suzu finished speaking. For once, Tiril didn't feel paranoid and put up his barrier. After all, what was out there that they couldn't defeat? They had defeated Horobosu. Sure, it had taken a damn long time… but the demon was gone. He was gone forever… because Persephone wasn't going to let him go.

"Best story ever!!!! That was awesome…" Tiril breathed out. "Your life is SO much cooler than you let on."

"Yeah, seriously." Shuichi grinned. "So, you and Zion have been married for almost seven hundred years? That's awesome. Got any kids?"

"Sixty-five." Tiril said cheekily, earning an affectionate pat on the head from Suzu.

"The brat is right. They neutered me after and by neuter, I mean some kind of contraceptive spell. Well, I don't really understand it but I guess it's like demon birth control. So I can't have any more kids. It kinda sucks, because I love-" Suzu babbled on.

"Sixty-five?!? And you wanted more???" Shuichi's jaw dropped open. "Do you have grandkids?"

"Of course I do… I think I have forty-two… could be wrong… I think my eldest is pregnant again. I always get confused because my kids matured a lot faster than I did." Suzu frowned, putting her finger on her chin. "Anyways, it's so stupid they won't let me have more kids. Gamma thinks that it's bad luck, sixty-six and all. But I don't care! I mean, what if I had twins? Then it'd skip sixty-six and go straight to sixty-seven!"

"How old are you?" Shuichi was still shocked.

"I'm over four thousand years old… pretty sure I am. I don't know, after a while you lose track." Suzu shrugged. "Sorry I didn't remember more… but after a while, everything just starts to blur together. A lot of my old memories were pushed out by the new ones. There's only so much I can fit in this damn head of mine."

"No, no, are you kidding?? It was awesome!" Shuichi laughed. "One of the best presents I ever received. There's one thing that seemed kinda off, though." Actually there were a couple things about Suzu's tale that had bothered him, but he pushed those thoughts away.

"What's that?" Suzu replied, scratching her ear.

"Tiril. Did you ever meet him in Heaven?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side. "And you never found out about what happened that day…"

"No to both questions… I think. But you're right… that is weird. Either Tiril's older than me and got banished from Heaven before I was born… or-" She trailed off uncertainly. _Shuichi brought up a very good point…_

"None but the Archangels and a few, select High Angels remember Tiril." Apollyon spoke up. "I was one of the lucky ones. My memory wasn't erased."

Shuichi's jaw dropped and he looked at Suzu. She looked just as surprised as he did. But then Suzu's purple eye narrowed in anger. And Shuichi could feel righteous rage flowing through him. How dare they erase everyone's memory of Tiril?

"Erased?" Tears filled Tiril's eyes. He was too shocked to wipe them away.

"So you mean… I could've met Tiril… but I don't remember? But why would they do that? It doesn't make sense. He's still alive! Why don't they want us to know about him?" Suzu demanded. "How is that EVEN legal?!?"

"Because of the crimes he committed. Raphael made sure your punishment wasn't too severe. Normally Fallen Angels don't even have wings… but if everyone else knew about this special treatment, there'd be uproar. So they erased everyone's memories of Tiril. They also wanted to keep Raphael's reputation intact." Apollyon sighed. _So many sins… perhaps the Fallen were right…_

"I'm gonna be sick." Tiril stood up and backed away. His mind was going in a million different directions. There was a myriad of facts in his brain, whizzing around; waiting for him to notice them. But he couldn't concentrate. "They don't know… I exist?"

Shuichi ran and grabbed Tiril, holding the tiny boy to his chest. "_We_ know you exist, Tiril. We know. And we will _never_ abandon you. We will _never_ disown you." He held Tiril as the boy finally cracked. "You're with us now. Suzu and I are going to take care of you."

"B-but Suzu's l-leaving." Tiril sobbed into Shuichi's shirt. "W-who am I g-gonna f-fight with?"

Shuichi's heart nearly broke.

"Hey you idiot." Suzu reached over and knocked on Tiril's green head. "Look at me!"

Tiril poked his head up from Shuichi's shirt, tears staining his cheeks.

"I'll always be in here." Suzu put her hand over her heart. "And whenever you need me, call. And since our hearts are connected, I'll come… no matter what."

"How?" Tiril croaked out.

"Yeah how?" Shuichi chimed in. He hadn't the faintest idea.

"Well, since Shuichi and I are twins and all, I'm going to assume that we can Soul Summon each other." Suzu put her finger on her chin.

"Soul Summon?" Shuichi repeated, confused.

"Basically you can summon my soul out of my body and bring me to you." She explained. "I'm not sure how it happens but I think it's a Type Zero."

"So no matter what, we won't be apart." Tiril grinned widely, letting go of Shuichi.

"No matter what." The half-demon repeated softly, turning to his twin. His purple eyes widened as he felt confusion and underlying sadness emitting from her. "Suzu?"

"You know, thinking about my past has reminded me of how much I hate that there's a blank spot in my memories…" Suzu frowned, hugging her knees to her chest. "I know someone tampered with my memory. I wish there was a way to prevent it."

"There probably is." Shuichi smiled reassuringly. "We just haven't found it yet."

"In the meantime, you have me!" Tiril giggled. "I'll tell you everything!"

"Psh… who says we want you?" Suzu shot back, her eyes twinkling.

"None of that talk, you mangy mutt." Tiril stuck his tongue out at Suzu. Shuichi rolled his eyes, but he was glad that Suzu wasn't sad anymore.

"I'm too tired for this…" Shuichi stretched out on the sand and used his arms to prop his head up. "Wake me up in a million years."

"Yeah… time for the nap of the century!" Suzu plopped down on her tummy right next to the half-demon.

"Snuggle-time!!!" Tiril wriggled his way in between the two of them, curled up into a little ball, and instantly closed his eyes.

Apollyon stared down at them and frowned. "I'm afraid you won't be getting any sleep right now." He said, nearly wincing at the force of Suzu's glare.

"Why the hell not?" She demanded. "We're tired! We just participated in the most epic battle ever! Why can't we sleep?"

"Because… I need to talk to Shuichi." A firm voice uttered from behind them. Shuichi, Suzu, and Tiril were on their feet in an instant, facing the new threat. The voice belonged to a tall male with red hair that fell in spikes, dressed in a black robe. His bangs were streaked with yellow and orange. His blue eyes were fixated on Shuichi. A flaming sword was in his left hand. Huge, white, birdlike wings extended out of his back but the edges were streaked with red. The redhead's presence was frightening at best.

Tiril's body froze and he back up. He didn't know why he was so scared… but he was. Tiril _knew _this Angel… from where, the boy didn't know. But obviously, this Michael had done something to him. Something bad. How else could he explain the sinking feeling in his gut?

"Mikey? What the hell are you doing here?" Suzu almost laughed out loud as the winged male narrowed his eyes. "Ok, ok, fine… Michael. And since when did you get highlights on your wings?" _  
_

"Michael?" Shuichi repeated, stealing a look at his Twin Flame.

"It's been a while, Michael." Apollyon inwardly groaned as he greeted his superior. He could practically feel the girl's temper rising as every second passed. And for good reason… if Michael was here, something was going on.

"Yeah, the Archangel Michael… the one who bears the flaming sword, commands the heavenly army, yadda, yadda, yadda." Suzu wove her hand flippantly.

"Oh… that Michael." Shuichi trailed off, his face paling. The force of the male's title started to become a bit too overwhelming. _Why isn't she terrified of him?!? _The teen looked over at Tiril and the poor boy looked just as scared… if not more than him.

"In twenty-four hours, a portal will open up. This portal will take you to Nihilo, where your boat will be waiting for you." The redheaded Angel informed the group.

"You came all this way just to tell us that?" Suzu narrowed her eye at the Archangel. "Any other good news?"

Tiril stared at the dog demon in shock.

"Hold your tongue for once." Michael snarled at her.

"No, I won't! You're just going along with my _STUPID_ Grandmother! Just like you always do! Don't you have a damn backbone?" Suzu's hands became fists and her eye turned red.

"Suzu!" Shuichi put his hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" He nearly jumped as he felt angry, hot heat rising up into his palm. He stared at his twin's shoulder.

"Don't you get it, Shuichi?" Suzu laughed bitterly. "Sure, he came over here to play messenger boy… but the real message is this: We ARE being forced apart. And if we try to resist, he'll just wave that damn sword of his around and kick the shit out of us. It's hopeless. It's fucking hopeless!"

"I'm glad we understand each other." Michael's voice was strangely calmer. His sword vanished from his fingertips. "She's doing this for your own good. The boy is still unstable."

"The boy is right here!" Shuichi shouted out hotly and then covered his mouth with a squeak. "Dammit, Suzu, now you've got me all riled up!" He cursed into his hands.

Michael raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about? Why would she have any effect on you?" He already knew the answer to that question… but if Shuichi did too… that made things complicated.

"Well duh. She's my twin." Shuichi uttered before anyone could stop him. Suzu smacked her hand into Shuichi's forehead. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You idiot! You can't just tell anyone that!" Suzu growled.

"You told them." Michael finally fixed his gaze on Tiril.

The Fallen Angel began sweating profusely. He tried to breathe in, but nothing worked. He felt like he couldn't breathe. The fear was choking him, paralyzing him. He couldn't move.

Suzu looked at the tiny boy. His face was turning blue. "What the fuck are you doing to him, Michael?" Suzu's voice turned deadly. She knelt down so that she was staring directly into Tiril's eyes. "Tiril? Tiril? What's wrong?" Shuichi dropped to the ground instantly and started to rub Tiril's back.

"We won't let him hurt you. Promise." Shuichi whispered into the boy's ear.

"It hurts… it hurts…" The boy finally spoke, no louder than a whisper. Michael's eyes widened slightly, but Apollyon still noticed it.

"I did not come here to harm-" Michael started.

"Yeah, well you did! Anything else you'd like to accomplish during your little visit?" Suzu snapped out. She was a bit confused though… did Tiril know Michael back when he was in Heaven?

"You've done enough damage already." Shuichi shook his head. He wasn't scared of Michael anymore. It was amazing… but he could feel Suzu's anger and courage and it spurred him on. If she wasn't afraid, then he wouldn't be either.

"I will take my leave then. Tomorrow, I will return to see you off." Michael's eyes strayed over to Apollyon's face. "You have been oddly silent. Why?"

"Just thinking." Apollyon replied. "About how Suzu was right about us… we aren't angelic at all. Perhaps the Fallen were right to mock us."

"Interesting." Michael snorted. "We will talk tomorrow, Shuichi." The male turned around, his huge wings drifting with his body as he moved.

Tiril tried to take deep breaths but he couldn't look anywhere but at Michael. There was a phrase pressing on his brain… an important phrase. The pressure was immeasurable. He needed to know what it was… but he couldn't see past the pain or his fear.

_Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, don't be afraid…_ Tiril inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. He could feel his heart calm down… his lungs relaxing... everything was slowing down… the adrenalin was being washed out of his system… his mind was still. And then, like a flower petal on a summer day, it drifted to him; the phrase that, by its nature, made Michael a friend and not an enemy. A foreign fluid filled the boy's mouth, but he didn't even notice it.

Tiril's eyes opened in shock and he pushed away from Shuichi. He took a step towards Michael, pointed at the winged redhead. "You're Suzu's-" Tiril broke off as he choked on something. He felt a sharp, stinging sensation on his tongue and he fell to the ground. Black ink dripped from the boy's mouth and he spat multiple times.

Michael whirled around, staring at Tiril for a few seconds. _And so… another learns the truth and is cursed. Gabriel, you will have to work hard to keep this one quiet._ He inwardly snorted. It served his brother right for creating the curse in the first place.

"TIRIL!!!" Suzu ran to Tiril and felt the boy's forehead. He didn't have a fever. What was that black substance and why was it in his mouth?

"What happened to him?" Shuichi demanded, glaring at Michael.

"Tiril, come with me. We have much to talk about." Michael turned around and started walking. Tiril rose to his feet unsteadily, but made his way over towards the Archangel.

"W-wait! Why are you going with him? I thought you were afraid of him?" Suzu didn't understand. She looked at her twin and he looked just as confused as she.

"It's okay… he won't hurt me." Tiril looked back at them. Then he turned back and spat on the ground again, painting the desert floor black.

Michael took off into the air, beating his wings. They needed to be far, far away from Suzu's hearing range. Tiril released his wing and followed the redhead.

* * *

"Open your mouth." Michael instructed Tiril. The two of them were currently sitting at a table in a safe house that was miles away. Demons bustled around them but not one of them seemed to notice Michael's wings. But Tiril could see them just fine.

Tiril cautiously opened his mouth. He had gulped down three glasses of water just to get the weird taste out. The Fallen couldn't see it, but there was a black "X" on the underside of this tongue. It was glowing slightly. Michael handed the boy a shiny spoon and he looked into it. Tiril gasped out loud and leaned even closer to the spoon.

Tiril ran his tongue over the roof of his mouth several times. Then he traced the mark with his finger. It didn't hurt, but he could feel it. "What is that?" Tiril asked after finally closing his mouth.

"A curse… that permits you from ever verbalizing the information you discovered." Michael replied. He knew they were being watched by someone. He could feel their energy.

"I don't understand. _You_ didn't put the curse on me." Tiril frowned. _Was it Kizura?_

"No… my older brother, Gabriel, created this curse. The crime I committed was so wicked that he literally forbade everyone and anyone from speaking of it."

"So it's _his_ powers that are keeping me from saying it? What happens if I try?"

"Eventually… you will lose the ability to speak. It is better not to try at all."

"Suzu doesn't know, does she?"

"The curse is amplified for them. The thought literally never crossed her mind… and probably never will."

"But Kizura knows!" Tiril liked his brain sometimes. It told him all kinds of useful information. But now it had gotten him cursed. Nevertheless, he was glad to know the truth, because the truth meant he no longer needed to fear Michael. It was kind of sad, though, that Suzu had no idea.

"It was the confirmation of her existence that caused my brother to create the curse in the first place."

"How can you break the curse? Or stop it?"

"The curse will not die until I do."

"That's not good. If you died…"

"Search your thoughts, Tiril. You already know."

"… … You're going to be killed by _him_?"

"Many things can happen in a decade. Besides, I would not mind seeing her again."

"Well, wait a minute… who h…" Tiril smacked his hand with the table. "It's Lilith! It all makes sense now!"

"I trust I do not need to remind you to keep this to yourself."

"Of course! I won't tell… but I'm sorry that I can't."

Michael smiled but didn't respond further. He waited for Tiril to finish his fourth drink and then stood up. As he led the Fallen out, the Archangel felt malicious eyes on his back. The redhead casually turned his head to the side and locked eyes with a dark-haired demon that was standing against the wall. The demon's red eyes bored into his blue ones.

This demon had been spying on them ever since they arrived. What he would do with the cursed information was his own business. Michael didn't care... he could not escape the reach of Fate. "What is the name of Shuichi's brother? I've forgotten." Michael asked as they neared the door, breaking eye contact with the demon.

"Manchu." Tiril replied easily. "Can you teleport us? I don't feel like flying."

* * *

"Why'd you have to go all the way to a safe house?" Suzu grumbled, glaring at the two Angels. Michael and Tiril had arrived a few moments ago. "What the hell were you talking about?" Shuichi was wondering the same thing. Apollyon… didn't want to speculate, lest he end up spouting black ink like Tiril.

"Just a family affair." Michael smiled slightly and Tiril couldn't help but grin.

"You'd better believe it!" The green-haired boy piped up. He wasn't afraid of Michael anymore. How could he be?

"Alright, whatever, onto more important things that you can _actually_ tell me… did I ever meet Tiril?" Suzu pointed at the Fallen Angel.

Michael gave her an annoyed look for a moment and then, to Shuichi's surprise, sat down on the ground. Everyone followed suit, waiting for the Archangel to speak.

"Tiril was asleep in Hell for approximately 850 years, making you about 3150 years old when he was sentenced. I believe you are roughly 1450 years older than Tiril, Suzu. You probably did pass by him a few times, but I would assume that your children had more contact with him than you did. I can't recall if the two of you were ever formally introduced." Michael rambled off easily. "But remember, all of these numbers are approximations."

"Not like I can ask any of my kids because their memories were probably erased." The dog demon rolled her eyes. "This is ridiculous…"

"They probably were introduced." Apollyon commented lightly. "Considering who Tiril is, Raphael most likely brought him to some kind of social function."

"I suppose it's possible." Michael's tone became slightly impatient.

"How old am I?" Tiril asked hopefully, changing the subject.

"If we keep using the same numbers and if you weren't reverted back to your seventh year, you'd be 2550 years old." The Archangel replied.

"You're seven years old. Who cares about the other number?" Suzu grinned wolfishly, ruffling Tiril's green hair.

"I care…" Tiril trailed off, letting out a sigh. "I want to be back to normal, whatever that is." _I'm almost three-thousand years old? I'm old but I feel young. It's weird… _

"Who wants to be normal?" Shuichi offered with a wry smirk on his face. "Do you see anyone here that's normal?"

Tiril frowned for a second and looked at Suzu. She stuck her tongue out at him and winked. The Fallen giggled. "Nope, I don't see anyone!" The boy shouted out happily.

"Damn straight, ya little bugger!" Suzu picked Tiril up and tossed him into the air.

Tiril let out a scream of joy and Shuichi jumped up in the air to catch him. The half-demon swirled around in the air before he landed on the sand. The two males and Suzu laughed for a few moments and then regained their composure.

"Anything else you'd like to ask me?" Michael raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, I think we're good for now. You can go back to my Grandma and squeal on us. I don't care." Suzu shrugged.

"Don't mind her, she's just a brat." Tiril laughed out loud as Suzu tickled him.

"I will see you all tomorrow then." Michael's body shimmered for a second and then he disappeared right in front of their eyes.

"He's not half as scary as the stories made him seem." Shuichi remarked a few minutes later. And Tiril certainly wasn't afraid of him anymore. That was good.

"Duh, you just gotta know which buttons to push." Suzu smirked back. "So, we've got a whole day left. What do you want to do?" She plopped down onto her back, using her arms to support her head.

"Sleep for half of it. I'm exhausted!" Tiril exclaimed.

"Not half, Tiril." Shuichi rolled his eyes. "Let's take five hours. Then we can get up and do whatever we want." The teen laid down on his tummy, feeling infinitesimal grains of sand creeping up his shirt.

Tiril was just about to lie down, when Apollyon put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it?" The boy cocked his head to one side.

"What did you and Michael talk about?" The Angel of Hell asked in what appeared to be a calm tone, but his hazel eye said something else entirely. It was darker than normal.

Tiril shrugged, opened his mouth, and stuck out his tongue. "Can't talk about it… it's a curse." He stared back at the Angel until the latter removed his hand. "I'm sleeping for the next thousand years!!!"

"Then you'll be like 35… hello mid-life crisis." Suzu snickered.

"Oh shut up!" The Fallen rolled his eyes, but made his way over to her. He didn't like the vibes he was getting from Apollyon.

Shuichi watched the exchange between the two Angels with shrewd eyes.

* * *

Suzu was lying on her back, staring up at the sky. They were under the protection of Tiril's barrier, so it wasn't unbearably hot although it was in the middle of the day. The Fallen was fast asleep, lightly snoring. Apollyon was away getting their lunch. "Hey Shuichi?" The dog demon asked, reaching her hand down to scratch her stomach.

"Mm?" Shuichi answered, half-mumbling.

"Remember when we first met?"

"Of course!"

"I thought you were some kind of cross-dressing, lost puppy."

"I thought you were crazy, bizarre, psycho… eccentric, if you will."

"I've been called worse. I'll take what I can get at this point."

"Ditto."

"We've been through a lot in a short amount of time, haven't we?"

"Yeah… from those demons at the safe house to Sasayaku to Horobosu…"

"Then those demons Ma-kun and Ken-chan."

"You sure wiped the desert floor with them."

"Do you two _ever_ shut up?" Tiril grumbled, turning over and glaring at the two of them. "And finishing each other's sentences? You're both absurd!"

Suzu leaned her head back to look at Shuichi. The moment their eyes met they burst out laughing. "Well, you're certainly starting to act your age, Tiril! You're grumbling like an old man!" Shuichi hooted.

"I am _NOT_ an old man! I just want my sleep! And who can possibly get any rest with two parrots jabbering away?" Tiril pouted, sitting up and brushing sand out of his hair.

"Aw, come on, don't be mean. He just needs his beauty sleep." Suzu snickered, trying to stop herself from laughing any louder. "It keeps the gray hair away!"

"Whatever. You both suck." Tiril rolled his eyes… but then a mischievous look passed over his face. In an instant, the barrier around them disappeared and the desert heat immediately overwhelmed them.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! HOT HOT HOT!!" Shuichi leapt to his feet and started running around. "TIRIL, WHAT THE HELL?"

Suzu lost herself in a fit of giggles and started rolling around on the ground. Then a gust of wind blew her twenty feet in the air. "What the blazes?" Suzu looked down at Tiril, who had a rather satisfied look on his face. The dog demon twirled through the air and landed on her feet. "And I was comfy in that position, too. Jeez."

"Well, _I_ was comfortable, too. But you guys ruined it." The tiny boy snorted.

"Tiril, damn you, I think I'm getting sunburned!!!" Shuichi ran back over to them. His face was covered in white lotion.

"What is that?" Suzu wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Well, I needed sunscreen so I-" Shuichi put his hands on his hips.

"You look like a fucking alien! Get that shit off your face!"

"Language, Suzu!"

"You're not the boss of me!"

Tiril smacked his forehead in annoyance. "When is the food getting here? I'm hungry." The boy sighed, looking around for any sign of Apollyon.

"Yeah, seriously, if he takes any longer, let's just go get it ourselves." Suzu crossed her arms over her chest. _He's been gone for a while… how long does it take to get some chicken parm? Jesus! _

"Why don't we play a game while we wait?" Shuichi sat down. "I'll tell you something you don't know about me… and you tell me something I don't know about you."

"What about me?" Tiril whined. "I wanna play!!"

"Well since you basically know everything and never say it until the last moment, now's a good time to practice taking shit outta that brain of yours." Suzu snorted.

"I'll go first!" Shuichi put his finger on his chin. "Hmm… I used to sing with Ryuichi for money."

"When I had nightmares, sometimes Michael used to sing me to sleep. Or more like hum I guess." The dog demon rubbed her eyes.

_Let the thoughts drift in, drift in, drift in…_ "Umm… my turn… Apollyon wants to quit his job." Tiril frowned. Why did his brain tell him that? Was it even important?

"Really … hmmm… I think had sex for the first time when I was ten years old. To be honest... I've lost track."

"You little slut you… I fucked Zion on top of a cloud once. Beat that."

"Ew… you guys are gross. I'm _still_ a kid! Well anyways, I'm going to meet a girl with purple hair."

"That's Saki. She's really nice, just bossy sometimes. I guess that makes sense, because if you're coming with me to Ichiban then you're probably coming back to the Demon Realm too." Shuichi couldn't think of anything else to say. He felt homesick for a moment. But then he remembered… he was close to returning, so close.

"Suzu's going to have another baby." Tiril said flippantly.

Now _that _caused Suzu to sit up right. "FUCK YEA!!!" She started dancing around. "I knew they couldn't tie my tubes! Take that you old hag! I'll show you!" She was hollering to everyone and no one. "I'ma have me a baby, ima have me a baby, baby, baby!"

"The old hag is Kizura, right?" Shuichi whispered to Tiril, who nodded. The half-demon grinned and started laughing.

"Sixty-six, sixty-six, sixty-six, sixty-six, sixty-six, sixty-six, sixty-six!" The female was still chanting and bobbing from left to right. Needless to say, the game was over.

* * *

Shuichi, Suzu, and Tiril were currently digging into their food. Apollyon hadn't gotten any for himself. In fact, he had returned to the safe house after dropping their food off. It was a feast for kings… well as kingly as any feast could look being devoured in the middle of a desert.

"Say, this sucks, doesn't it?" Suzu asked between bites.

"Whataya mean?" Shuichi responded, slurping more ramen into his mouth.

"Waiting for that damn portal to appear… it's like a bad omen. _You will die in twenty-four hours!_" Suzu hissed in her best horror flick voice.

"Yeah… I guess it does. How many more hours do we have?" Tiril stabbed his fork into his fruit salad and successfully pulled out a strawberry. "We definitely slept for longer than five hours."

"I think we have like fourteen hours left." Shuichi muttered.

"Why should we have to find shit to do for the next fourteen hours?" Suzu snapped out. "This is so stupid!"

"Well, what do _you_ suggest we do?" The half-demon retorted. "Since you always seem to have an answer for-"

"Don't get sassy with me, ya slut." Suzu rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't know about you, but waiting for fourteen hours seems pretty pathetic, doesn't it? Couldn't we all be doing something more productive with our time?"

"Like what?" Tiril questioned curiously.

"Well, I'd like to finish _my_ training. Training you two hasn't made me any stronger. I got sent here to prove that I could survive on my own, but I've been with you guys for so long that I don't even know if I managed to do it or if this has all been a long sidetrack-"

"Sorry we wasted your precious time!" Shuichi interrupted hotly.

"Would you let me finish?" Suzu shouted back at him. "And you didn't waste my time, you idiot! I'm over four-thousand years old! Do you really think I give a damn about time? ANYWAYS… time is something that's more precious to you. Like the time you could be spending with-"

"My Mother…" Shuichi finished softly, the words floating in the desert sky.

"Okay… so what are you saying?" Tiril frowned. "Get to the point, bush-beater."

"Let's just say bon voyage now!" Suzu threw her hands in the air. "What the hell are we waiting for? We've got things to do, right? _Shuichi _needs to reunite with Seki and _I've_ got to finish my training and _you're_ getting on my nerves, so you've got to go, too!"

"I guess that's okay… I mean, we did say goodbye already." Shuichi said carefully, avoiding Suzu's gaze.

"Shuichi, it'll just make it harder if we wait until the twenty-four hours are up. It's like an execution or something." Suzu put a hand on her Twin Flame's shoulder. "And besides, you're already getting sick of me, right? We'll have plenty of time to annoy each other later. Just think… you could see your Mom again in less than twenty-four hours for the first time in a decade!"

"She's right." Tiril piped up. "So, what do we do?"

"This." Suzu giggled and her eye turned red. Shuichi grinned in anticipation. His twin let out a fearsome, guttural howl that the wind carried near and far, high and low.

Less than five minutes later, the Archangel Michael appeared in the desert sand before them. "Yes?" The redheaded male raised an eyebrow at Suzu. "What is it?"

"You heard her?" Shuichi spoke disbelievingly. "How is that possible?"

"Where is Apollyon?" Michael looked at Tiril, completely ignoring the teen.

"Safe house… he's been acting weird lately." The Fallen replied.

"Yo, can we move this departure date up a little bit?" Suzu drank some more of her strawberry smoothie. "And by a little bit, I mean now."

"Now?" Michael furrowed his brow. "The portal is scheduled to open-"

"If you can hear me howling from another dimension then you can speed up this process, don't cha think?" Suzu pointed out, with a smirk on her face.

"Shuichi, we need to talk before you leave. Get up." Michael turned in response and started walking away.

"Umm… okay." The half-demon rose to his feet and followed after the Archangel. He had a bad feeling about this…

* * *

The Archangel kept walking until he knew that Suzu would have to fully concentrate her energy in order to hear them. If he felt her doing so, he would just teleport the two of them away. The redhead finally turned his attention to the pink-haired teenager standing in front of him.

"I've decided not to kill you because you're Suzu's twin." Michael crossed his arms over his chest. "Once again, she's saved your life."

Shuichi's eyes widened in shock. The mood around them changed rapidly. He could practically feel the Archangel's aura threatening to choke him. He felt the fear crash back into him and he backed up a few steps. The desert sun was hot, very hot on his head and the fact that he was nervous wasn't helping. Every breath Shuichi took was painful and scorching. In a way, it reminded him of Kizura's technique… but it was stronger, more deliberate, and yet, more controlled.

"You nearly caused her death through your cowardice." The redhead continued on as if Shuichi _wasn't_ moving away from him. "As much as I disagreed with Kizura's tactics, her actions certainly seemed to finally steer you in the right direction."

"It wasn't her." Shuichi found himself replying defiantly. "It wasn't her! All she did was scare the shit out of me and make me realize how right Suzu was about her! I steered myself in the right direction! When I finally realized how much I was hurting my friends, when I finally realized that I had been running away… I knew I needed to change."

"Another thing we need to talk about." Michael's eyes narrowed. "You're too vulnerable without your memories. You snap the moment someone mentions Seki or your former occupation. The past is the past for the reason. Do not let it consume you."

"Well, I can't forget about it either!" Shuichi shouted back. "I know that I'm weak without my memories! If I could change it all, I could! It would certainly make everything easier, but that's **_not_** the way things are. And I'm about to get my memories back, so then I'll finally know what happened." _I'll finally know what went wrong…_

"Even now, you haven't come to terms with your past. I can see it in your eyes." The Archangel frowned slightly, but the air around them calmed down; became less heated. "However, you are ten times as strong as you are weak… and every warrior has an Achilles heel. You must do better to conceal yours, lest all your enemies learn from Horobosu."

Shuichi's jaw dropped open. Did… did an Archangel actually complement him? "T-thanks, I will." He found himself nodding. "I'm a bit confused. So you don't hate me?"

"Long ago, I was told that you would be an unbalanced, unstable being." Michael stated lightly, holding his hand out. A purple light materialized into his hand, taking the form of a small orb, shimmying and swirling around. "I believe my source was wrong." Michael lifted his hand, as if beckoning to Shuichi.

The half-demon obeyed, taking a step closer to the redhead. The teen carefully took the purple shining orb out of Michael's hand. It was warm and almost… soft. It was about the size of an eyeball. "What is this?" Shuichi covered the orb with both hands. He could feel tiny vibrations coming off of the orb. He lifted his hand up and stared closely at the orb. It was still moving around in his hands, as if it was alive.

"Keep it safe within your blade… and when it the time is right, submerge it into a body of water." The Archangel replied enigmatically.

Shuichi summoned the Blade of Lamentations and watched as the purple orb grew at least _ten_ times in size, right in his hand. But it didn't get any heavier… it was just big as a basketball now. Then, with a flash of light, the once purple orb turned indigo, with greenish swirls going all around it.

The puzzling eye on the Blade of Lamentations was completely fixated on the indigo object in Shuichi's palm. The eye almost seemed to widen in excitement. Cocking his head to the side, Shuichi held the hilt right up to the orb in his hands. The eye began flashing, shining light onto the orb. Then, the orb flew straight _into_ the Blade of Lamentations, a blue orb with green swirls taking the place of where Persephone's golden orb once was.

"What is it? And why was my sword so… happy to get it?" Shuichi asked, holding his sword up to the sun.

"It's an egg." Michael said over his shoulder as he started trekking back towards the group.

_An egg?_ Shuichi thought as he followed Michael. _Why the heck did he give me that?_

Michael and Shuichi walked through the sand, their footprints rapidly disappearing due to the hot wind. Shuichi noted with curiosity that Apollyon was now inside the barrier. Suzu ran outside of the barrier to meet them, but the other two stayed behind.

"There's another thing that bothered me… ever since Suzu told us that story you told her." The half-demon confessed, looking straight at Michael.

"Yes?" Michael raised a bright red eyebrow.

"If Naytievanol is so powerful that she can't be put inside of a cross… and if she actually is female… then what is Crimson?" Shuichi asked frankly.

Michael held out an outstretched hand. A black hole appeared a few inches away from his fingertips. The hole started swirling around and growing larger in diameter. "This will take you to Nihilo." The Archangel stated, dropping his arm to his side. "Suzu, it's time-"

"Wait, what about my question?" Shuichi interrupted. "What is Crimson??" Crimson was one of the most important beings in Shuichi's life. So he had to know why, because it didn't make sense. It was another inconsistency that needed to be solved.

_He's still a part of me, no matter what. But if he's not who he's supposed to be… I just don't understand anymore!_ Crimson was like a brother to him. Crimson would always be a brother to him; was there for him during the hard times. Crimson had taken care of him. But now, Shuichi was worried. Who had been inside of him for all these years?

"Shit… I never even thought about that." Suzu cocked her head to one side.

"Crimson's been a part of you for a long time, right?" Tiril offered up. "So of course you want to know. Because if what Michael says is true… then Crimson certainly isn't the Angel of Vanity. But they're similar. At least, that's what I think."

"Well, whatever you think is probably close to the truth." Suzu shrugged, stealing a suspicious look at Michael. "Why aren't you answering his question?"

"I can't." Michael said simply and moved to avoid the rapidly growing black hole.

"I'm not going in until you answer my question." Shuichi crossed his arms over his chest and glared defiantly at the redheaded Angel.

"That is not your decision to make." The Archangel narrowed his blue eyes.

"Crimson was _inside_ of me! What right do you have to keep that from me?" The half-demon protested.

"Does that mean **_you_** have more right than Crimson to learn of his origins?" Michael retorted.

Shuichi's heart skipped a beat. "His, his origins? What does that mean? What does that mean?" He sputtered out, taking a step back.

"Stop toying with him, Michael." Suzu growled, her visible eye flashing red. "If you're not going to tell him, then don't fucking bait him."

Michael smirked and didn't reply. Shuichi stared him down, but didn't say anything more. Nobody else said anything either. The black hole expanded at least three times in size. Suzu let out an angry sigh and started pacing. Tiril gazed up at the sky, as if he was daydreaming.

"Shuichi, I think we need to go." Apollyon spoke up a few minutes later. He took a step towards the black hole that threatened to encompass them all.

"I'm not moving from this spot until-" Shuichi uttered stubbornly.

"Why? Does it even matter to you, what Crimson is?" Michael interjected, his eyes locked onto the pink-haired boy's face.

"How can you even ask me that?" Shuichi threw his hands into the air. "Crimson is like a brother to me! He's protected me all these years! He's a part of me! Even though we've been separated, he's still in here!" He put a hand over his heart.

"Everyone always judges him and calls him a murderer and a monster… but he's not. And then finally, finally, I thought that people would _have_ to respect Crimson because I was told he was an Angel… and not just any Angel, the Angel of Vanity. It made perfect sense to me at first.

"Crimson has his downsides… he's crude and violent and bloodthirsty he's _definitely_ conceited and with good reason, because he's so strong and powerful. I used to envy him for being the strong one. _He_ was the one that took care of us and carried both our burdens. _I_ was the weak one that forgot everything and had to be protected. But I love him; I love him because he's as much a part of me as I'm a part of him. And we're different, very different, like oil and water. He has a dark, hostile personality and I'm more optimistic and trusting. But we fit together, literally and figuratively.

"The other demons, they always pitied and belittled me, and I know they think I'm useless, parasitic… but they _fear_ him. They fear him and hate and disgust him. So I thought that finally, **_finally_**, they couldn't hate him anymore." Shuichi ran a hand through his pink hair. "I don't care what they think of me. I just don't want him to go back to being treated like that."

Michael looked long and hard at Shuichi with piercing eyes. Then he walked over to Tiril and put a hand on the boy's head. The redhead went still for a moment, as if he was focusing on something.

"Hey! What're you doing?" Tiril tried to wriggle out of the Archangel's grasp.

Michael released the boy's green locks and walked back towards Suzu. "We're leaving. Let's go." He said to Suzu. Tiril shook his head a few times, as if he was confused.

"Okay." Suzu shrugged. She ran over to Shuichi and squeezed the teen tightly. "I'm sorry Michael's such a jerk. Au revoir, right?"

"Yeah." Shuichi forced himself to smile weakly. "Au revoir." He rubbed Suzu's back as tenderly as he could. If Crimson was his brother, then Suzu was his sister. And it hurt having to leave her, especially when he was already so emotional. He was going to miss her so much. He couldn't believe this was goodbye… He couldn't believe that after everything he said, Michael was still going to leave without telling him anything.

Suzu released Shuichi and knelt down so that she was at eye level with Tiril. "Take care of Shuichi, alright? We both know how much of an idiot he is. He needs someone with half a brain by his side. Plus with your psychic abilities, even he can't fuck up too much. So whataya say?"

"Okay, I'll do my best…" Tiril sniffled and buried his head in her neck. "I wish you were my mother, MM." It was too soon… but it was time.

"I practically am already, PB. All we have to do is convince Zion to sign the adoption papers." Suzu muttered back softly, combing her fingers through Tiril's soft hair. "Au revoir, my love."

"Bye… I'll miss you… everyday." The Fallen Angel let go of Suzu's neck and wiped his tears away.

Shuichi's eyes saddened. Michael still hadn't said a word. _He's really not going to tell me..._ The teen stared into the black hole that hovered before them, massive and daunting.

Suzu turned to Apollyon and smirked slightly. "It was nice meeting you. Sorry we never seemed to get along. But you took good care of Shuichi." Her eye softened. "So I guess you're not that bad. Take care of my twin, kay?"

"I will do my best." Apollyon nodded back at Suzu, a half-smile on his face.

Suzu strolled over to Michael and grabbed onto his outstretched hand. Their bodies began to vanish gradually, from their feet up.

"I guess we gotta go in the black hole." Tiril frowned slightly. "Not that I want to."

"To Nihilo we go…" Shuichi murmured, turning his head sideways to look in Suzu's direction. She stuck her tongue out at him and he couldn't help but laugh. Michael avoided his gaze. From the waist down, both of their bodies were gone.

"I will go first." Apollyon looked at Shuichi for a moment. Without turning back, he walked straight into the black hole. Neither Shuichi nor Tiril could see him. The black hole shrunk in size, but continued to hover about.

"That looks promising…" Tiril muttered darkly. Shuichi shook his head and grabbed onto the tiny boy's hand.

"I'll see you when I see you!!!!" Suzu shouted out. Shuichi and Tiril looked in her direction, just in time to see her head vanish right before their eyes. Michael was still visible from the neck up, as he was taller than her.

Michael looked right at Tiril and their eyes locked. Just before Michael's head faded away, he winked right at the Fallen Angel.

"Crimson is a partial clone of Naytievanol who was created millennia ago, under the orders of the Archangel Uriel." Tiril recited instantaneously.

"A clone?" Shuichi repeated dumbly, staring at Tiril in shock. He looked back to where Michael and Suzu were standing a minute ago. Only empty space greeted his eyes. Michael was gone. "A clone?"

"I guess he heard _you_ loud and clear." Tiril looked up at Shuichi. "He really wasn't allowed to tell you. He had to use me to do it." The Fallen frowned when Shuichi didn't respond. "Shuichi? Shuichi!"

Shuichi stood still; he was in shock. He couldn't move. _Crimson… is a clone?_ Memories of Crimson flooded into his brain. _First he was a demonic personality to be sealed away, then the dormant form of an Angel… and now this?_ Weren't clones supposed to be mindless things that couldn't think for themselves? That didn't sound like him. It wasn't fair! Hadn't they been through enough? And if he was only a partial clone… what else was he? What else was Crimson? Who _was_ Crimson?

Most importantly… why had Crimson been created in the first place?

"Shuichi, come on, let's go." Tiril tugged on Shuichi's hand and together, they walked into the black hole. Darkness swallowed them both.

* * *

**Haha we all know I like to leave little hints in my chapters. So if you've seen _Definitely, Maybe_, you should know that Suzu asked something last chapter that came from the movie. That being said, it takes a smidgen of insight to figure out what Tiril did. But if not, you've got to wait until the sequel for it to be revealed. **

**What's up next? Why, we finally get to see Nihilo!! That famed city we've been waiting to arrive at for about... ten million years now? Shuichi, Tiril, and Apollyon walk the streets of this strange city. But why is Apollyon acting so weird? And why is the Blade of Lamentations going beserk? Is it... the egg?!?  
**

**Well, in all seriousness, Chapter 40 won't be up for a while. I have my finals and then from May 19 - June 24 I'm going to be in (*drumroll*) JAPAN!! I'm so excited because I've never been there!! Perhaps I'll get inspired about how to describe Nihilo while I'm there tee hee. I think I do need inspiration, my creative juices haven't been flowing like they used to. Things just haven't been the same for me this semester, with all the stress and whatnot. Lol the fact that this chapter is mostly conversation is testament to that. I need to get back into the grove of things. I still have plenty of battle scenes to write and the caliber of my writing needs to either stay the same or get better, but not worse.  
**

P.s. Please continue to vote on names for Ayaka & Hiroshi's daughter! Here's what we have so far:

**A. Delphine - 2**

**B. Audrina - 3**

**_C. Dahlia - 5_  
**

**D. Aki/Autumn – 2 **

**E. Lorelei - 2**

**F. Minaka - 1**

**G. Devi - 1  
**

**I think that I'm just going to stick with these names. I did appreciate all the other suggestions, but there were too many other names flying around and I was starting to get overwhelmed. So yes, if you like one of the names, vote. If you don't I am sorry, but it just go to be too complicated and I should have foreseen that, but unfortunately I'm not psychic. **

***** There is a poll on my profile. You can either vote by reviewing or go to my page and vote there, whichever you want. *** There's plenty of time to vote, since our bun in the oven won't be born until closer to the end of Prediction. I'm going to go back through all my reviewers that voted and continue keeping track. Once the poll is closed, I will add up all the previous reviews that were voted and the poll results in order to calculate the winning name!  
**


	55. Chapter 40: Nihilo City of Death

**Hi! So it took going to 2 countries for me to get this chapter finished. Japan was breathtakingly amazing. I loved everything about it. Don't ask me how much ramen I ate. Or how much Final Fantasy XIII/Naruto/Evangelion merchandise I bought. I love and miss my host family, especially my host sisters! My group and I stayed in Sendai for 3 weeks, then toured to Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Tokyo. We even went to Tokyo Disney! I definitely need to go back but I need more money first. I had the time of my life there and it was literally a dream come true. After spending 5 weeks there, I think I can make Shuichi bit more... authentic, considering he is Japanese lol.**

**I'm currently in Jamaica right now using my Mom's tiny laptop, think it's called a notebook. Jamaica is beautiful, nice sandy beaches, calm waves and its just sooo relaxing. Just what I needed. And the food is delicious! Johnnycakes, mango, curry goat, ugh I'm soo hungry! I've been to Jamaica about 6 times? I lost count haha. Why do we go there so much? Fun fact: My Mom's side of the family is Jamaican. **

**Anyways, since I published a one-shot while I was in Japan, I figured I may as well publish something while I'm in Jamaica. **

**Inspired by six songs: **_**Sadness and Sorrow**_** from Naruto, **_**Drink Up Me Hearties**_** by Hans Zimmer, **_**Dead Memories**_** by Slipknot, **_**Love the Way You Lie**_** by Eminem ft. Rihanna, **_**Made of Glass**_** by Trapt, and **_**I Must Be Dreaming**_** by Evanescence**

**I did the stars because ff is being weird and won't let me center the title. Sorry.**

* * *

_**********************************************CHAPTER 40:*************************************************_

_******************************************NIHILO - CITY OF DEATH*********************************************_

* * *

Nihilo was huge. It was like the exact opposite of Kyoto, with skyscrapers and neon lights everywhere. Nihilo was bigger than New York City and Tokyo combined. A crystal-like barrier surrounded the metropolis but no one could see it or anything beyond it. The barrier kept all outside light out, so the city was in a permanent state of nighttime. There were star-like structures embedded in the barrier itself that gave off light, multiple street lamps on every street, and every building had its lights on all the time. Neon signs and billboards and advertisements decorated the city like fireflies flitting around a bush.

Apollyon, Shuichi, and Tiril were standing on a grassy hill in the outskirts that overlooked the city. Shuichi was in awe from the moment he opened his eyes. "This is so cool!" The teen turned to grin at Tiril. For a moment, he forgot about everything. He forgot that Crimson, his other half, was a clone. For a moment, he just took in the lights as they danced across his face. He stared down at the skyscrapers until his neck hurt. There were so many cool-shaped buildings below them. A lot of them were modeled after famous sights.

"Nihilo… I've never seen so much culture in one city." Shuichi gaped as his eyes strayed to the crowded streets. Demons and humans shuffled by, feet slapping against the pavement. Everyone was welcome and normal and no one bothered each other. "Look, it's a copy of the Empire State Building over there!"

"I don't know what that is." Tiril cocked his head to one side. "But it's cool!"

"And there's a bunch of casinos over there. That's definitely supposed to be Las Vegas!" Shuichi gushed, pointing in a new direction.

"You really like this city." Apollyon noted carefully. He looked in the distance and saw a huge, glowing clock tower.

"Uh… yeah! It's totally the best place EVER!" The half-demon jumped up and down. He heard something jingle and emptied his pockets. He found a pouch full of golden coins. "When did Suzu…"

_Oh, who cares? We have money!_ Shuichi screamed inside his head. _I want to buy everything! I want to be a shopaholic! I want to embrace capitalism! _

"Look, look! Those are Egyptian pyramids!" Tiril grinned. "But I don't really know what those are…" _Or why they're important for that matter…_

"Well… we don't have to leave right away. Why don't we do some exploring?" Apollyon suggested, putting a hand on Shuichi's shoulder. Inwardly, he knew the boy had been through so much. Didn't he deserve some time to relax? _It's the least I can do and I want to make the most of the time we have left together…_

"I'm hungry!" Tiril whined, looking up at Shuichi. "Sightseeing after we eat, okay?"

"I'll bet they'll have Japanese food here somewhere! This place has everything!" Shuichi took off running down the hill without waiting for his two companions. "There's Ryoan-ji! I'll bet they'll have the rock garden and everything!"

* * *

Shuichi sat at the table, chopsticks at the ready. "I can't believe it." The widest grin was on his face. "An actual Japanese restaurant… this is fantastic!"

"I don't know how to use these." Tiril pouted, holding one chopstick in each hand. "Doesn't this place have forks?"

Shuichi, Apollyon, and Tiril were seated inside one of Nihilo's many eateries. The restaurant was shaped like a temple. Shoes had to be removed at the door. Hot towels were given to seated customers instantly. Everyone sat on cushions on the floor and ate at lowered tables.

"It's like being back at home!" Shuichi crooned, inhaling the scent of ramen that perforated the air. It was a nostalgic feeling and a saddening one. Part of him wished he could remember growing up in Kyoto with his Mom, but part of him was happy that he was making new memories, memories he would make sure to never forget.

Apollyon chuckled. "I've never seen you this excited." The Angel sipped some of his ice cold water.

"You don't understand! The Demon Realm is awesome and everything… but it's not my home. Kyoto… that's where I grew up… Japan is my home." The half-demon smiled dreamily. "This is awesome!" Being in this restaurant made him truly realize how homesick he was. How he longed to be among the living again…

"Hmm… maybe that's why they built this restaurant." Tiril offered. "Because there's plenty of dead humans here. I'll bet some of them are Japanese… and they miss Japan just as much as you do. So this restaurant is a way for them to go back home… without actually going anywhere."

"Yeah… this city is huge. I can't believe how big it is… they even have Disneyland here!" Shuichi let out a whoop of joy as their waitress delivered three steaming bowls of ramen. Shuichi and Tiril had ordered soy ramen while Apollyon had ordered miso ramen.

"What's that?" Tiril frowned. "I don't get it… these are all human things, right?"

"There are some demon landmarks and monuments here as well." Apollyon expertly snapped his chopsticks and began slurping away.

"Let's find a hotel and check in!" Shuichi started shoveling noodles into his mouth. He nearly burned his tongue. "Then we can go sightseeing. It's the tourist way."

"It would be nice to sleep in a bed." Apollyon noted with a forlorn smile on his face.

"Don't worry! Once we're back in the Demon Realm, you won't be sleeping in anything but a bed!" Shuichi proclaimed.

Apollyon raised an eyebrow and didn't respond at first. "If you say so."

Tiril scowled. "Someone tell me how to use these!" He shouted noisily.

Shuichi giggled. "Now, the key is comfort. I'll show you the basic technique and then once you've got that down, you can do whatever works for you. What you must remember is that one chopstick, the one on the bottom, has to be immobile at all times. The one on top is the one you move around. Here, hold the first chopstick like this-"

Apollyon stopped eating and stared at Shuichi, a faint smile on his face.

* * *

"Mmmm… such a nice night." Tiril giggled as the trio strolled along the sidewalk. "Actually, I've got no idea what time it is." Streetlamps illuminated the otherwise crowded dark road ahead of them.

"That's alright. We'll just shop till we drop and wake up tomorrow nice and refreshed! It's been a long couple of days." Shuichi stretched his arms, caught Apollyon's eye and smiled. "What's up?"

"I was just thinking… about how proud I am of you." The Angel of Hell answered truthfully. "You've grown and matured so much since we first met."

"Eh?" Shuichi rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Oh jeez…"

"It's true, Shuichi." The brunet smiled gently. "Normally, when given a compliment, the receiver expresses appreciation."

"Only if they deserve it." The half-demon retorted, his eyes saddening. "I still have a lot more growing to do. I have…"

"Do you remember what I said to you that day about believing in yourself?" Apollyon's hazel eye looked him over. _Was it the first day we met?_

"This conversation is getting a little too serious." Tiril rolled his orange eyes. "We're supposed to be on vacation, remember? Our less-than-twenty-four hour vacation!"

"I like our hotel. It's comfy." Shuichi changed the subject as they turned down a new street. "And the pictures in our room are nice."

This part of Nihilo was expensive in terms of shopping. The half-demon noted all the expensive brands and labels. Every store window was lit up. Demons and humans flocked the shops, going in and out, crossing the street. Most of them were carrying bags.

"But the beds are lumpy!" Tiril snorted.

"Well, it was cheap!" Shuichi snapped back. He stopped walking once he saw a huge, child-friendly store down one of the side streets. "We MUST go there! Do you see that?"

Tiril turned his head around. The big store was brightly colored and decorated with cute animals, cupcakes, cookies, and ice cream. His jaw dropped open. "I want dessert!" He could hear the screams of laughter coming from inside. It had to be the closest thing to paradise they would ever find in Hell.

"Me too!" Shuichi all but dashed into the store.

"I'll wait outside." Apollyon sat down on one of the nearby benches. "Don't spend-" He broke off as Tiril let out a cry of indignation at being left behind and took off. The Angel shook his head, smiling to himself.

* * *

After a fantastic dessert, the trio started exploring Nihilo. They were currently in the city's main shopping district. Stores and shops of all kinds and brands and price ranges filled the area. This district was also packed full with demons and humans of all sorts… but both species just seemed to coexist. Shuichi was impressed. Apollyon was deep in thought, a pensive frown on his face.

Tiril was holding a rainbow-colored lollipop that was nearly as big as his head. But he was going at it vigorously, determined to finish the sticky goodness. "What the heck is that thing pointing towards the barrier?" He questioned, gesturing towards a rather tall tower with his pop.

"Oh that? That's the Eiffel Tower! It's in France!" Shuichi grinned as he took a long lick of his green tea ice cream. "Aaah… it's been so long!"

"Hey, Pollyon, what's with the face?" The Fallen asked.

"What Shuichi told me before is quite disturbing. I've been thinking about it." The Angel of Hell confessed.

Shuichi stiffened and forced himself not to look at the brunet. "Aw jeez… I wasn't trying to ruin our day. I just wanted to tell you what Michael… sort of told us. Let's just forget about it for now. We just ate at a banging ramen place and had a great time. And we'll continue to have a great time, right?"

_Ignoring your problems won't make them go away._ But at the same time, Apollyon knew that Shuichi needed this. They still had plenty of time left. "As you wish, Shuichi." The Angel complied with a bow of his head. "Where to next?"

"Let's go to Disney. I want to meet this Mickey Mouse." Tiril offered.

"Sure! I'll bet they'll have Space Mountain here!" Shuichi replied breathlessly, tossing the remains of his ice cream cone down this throat.

The half-demon jumped as he heard someone shrieking. He turned around and his jaw dropped. There were about twenty zombies wandering the street. They started snarling and breaking windows, destroying everything in their path. All of the dead humans ran to the alleyways. Most of the demons disappeared, too.

"What's going on?" Shuichi looked around quickly. There were zombies on the rooftops glaring down at them. There were zombies climbing out of windows. They were like dark shadows, dancing towards them. He instinctively summoned the Blade of Lamentations.

"They're everywhere!" Tiril shouted out, drawing closer to Shuichi. "Over three hundred!" The boy watched in shock as the ground around them erupted and zombies burst forth from the pavement.

"Where the hell did they come from?" The pink-haired teen frowned. "And why are they after us?"

The zombies had the trio surrounded in a nanosecond. Shuichi growled and swiped through the closest one to him with the Blade of Lamentations. The zombie keeled over, blue blood spilling out of its mouth.

"I thought the fighting was over." Tiril sighed, releasing his barrier around the three of them. Multiple zombies were instantly fried.

Apollyon frowned, but stepped closer to Shuichi. "This should not be happening." The Angel of Hell narrowed his hazel eye, scanning the area. But there was nothing to see but zombies, an endless sea of zombies. They filled the empty, dark streets and corridors and alleyways. They were everywhere, swarming and sauntering and gnarling.

"Well, it is." Shuichi replied simply. "I'll race you to the sign with the Marilyn Manson impersonator!" The boy darted out of the barrier, immersed himself in the horde of zombies and starting slashing away.

"W-what? Where's the sign?" Tiril looked around until he saw it. It was about one hundred feet away, in front of what looked like an apartment building. The lights that shone through the windows were flickering. "That's odd…" The boy ran out and starting shooting multiple energy blasts at the zombies. He released his wing and fired at them from the air, using the wind to keep his balance.

Shuichi rapidly formed water molecules and multiplied them. As he sliced and diced through zombies, he kept thinking about creating more and more water. The sooner they got rid of these zombies, the better.

Apollyon flew around, igniting as many zombies as he could. He shot out numerous fireballs at the creatures and sent out more to follow the ones he missed. The fire began to spread from zombie to zombie and he smirked victoriously. The street was soon covered with melted and/or charred zombie parts.

"Hey Tiril! Think you can give me a tornado or two? But keep their spins under control; I don't want to knock down any of the buildings." Shuichi called out over his shoulder.

"You got it, dude!" Tiril responded with a grin on his face. _There isn't any sun or natural light here… it's all artificial. But there is always air. And as long as there is air… there is wind. _The Fallen's grin widened considerably and a tall, black cloud appeared in the air. _Let's see if I can form it faster this time._ The dense cloud started to lower towards the dark street. It was beginning to look like a funnel.

Tiril squinted his orange eyes in concentration and another black cloud appeared above one of the shops on the street. It started moving towards the zombies and descending to the zombies. Another funnel cloud was born. The wind started shrieking in anticipation.

Shuichi started forming more and more balls of water around him while hacking through the mass of zombies. His blade was covered with blue blood, but he didn't even notice. He knew he needed to survive, to win. He heard the wind howling and looked up.

There it was… a huge, whirling, shrieking tornado, wrecking havoc upon the zombies. Shuichi grinned and sent all of the water balls flying towards the tornado. Right before they reached it, the half-demon froze every single one. Hard ice balls were sent flying at the zombies through the force of the tornado.

In a matter of seconds, Tiril and Shuichi had crushed and/or shredded half the zombies that had surrounded them using their new technique.

"Why don't we finish the rest off with some cyclones?" Tiril snickered. "I'll bet they'll like that!" His first tornado was still raging and roaring about.

"Great idea!" Shuichi extracted all of the ice balls from the demolished zombies and melted them. He ran at the nearest group of zombies and started slashing away. "I'm going to make it to that billboard before you do!"

"Not if I cut off your oxygen supply!" Tiril called out cheerfully, releasing his second tornado. This tornado spun around and caught a bunch of zombies, tearing them into miniscule pieces. He rapidly created another black cloud to replace it. "Hey, Apollyon, light my next tornado on fire, okay?"

Apollyon looked back at Tiril and nodded. One zombie jumped at him and the Angel instantly ignited it. He flew into the air and surveyed the damage. The street was nearly destroyed… but none of the shops had been harmed. Less than half of the 300+ zombies remained.

Shuichi leapt in the air and brought his water with him. It trailed after him, forming the shape of a large straw. "Would you like to do the honors, Tiril?" The half-demon landed on the ground, but held his hands out so he could steer the water in the right direction. The long water straw rose in the air until it was above one of Tiril's tornadoes.

"Yippee! This is gonna be fun!" Tiril zipped towards the top of the water straw and held his breath, gathering his energy. _He should make it a curly straw next time…_ The boy exhaled, his eyes flashing dark blue. The force of his breath, amplified by the wind energy, pushed the water down into the tornado and completely covered it.

The newly born cyclone started to tear through the remaining creatures. Shuichi started freezing zombies left and right and Apollyon would light them on fire. Tiril concentrated on controlling both the cyclone and the tornado, while trying to form a new tornado. The three of them fought so hard, they didn't even notice a certain being materialize into the area. That is until…

"I must admit, I'm slightly impressed." A cold voice uttered from above. "Long time no see, Nii-sama."

Shuichi froze and looked up. A figure stood on top of one of the apartment buildings. Long dark hair moved about, flowing with Tiril's wind. Red eyes glowed down at him.

"It… it can't be." The teen took a step back, momentarily distracted. One of the zombies pounced on him, only to be ignited by Apollyon. Shuichi slowly rose to his feet, barely sparing the Angel a glance. "Manchu!"

"Although I thought you would've destroyed all these zombies by now. You're a bit slow, Nii-sama. Or perhaps my expectations were too high." Manchu dove down from the roof and landed perfectly on his feet. The impact from his landing sent out a shockwave that instantly killed all the zombies within a ten feet radius. The shockwave also terminated the cyclone, the tornado, and the black cloud.

Tiril's jaw dropped open. _What the heck?_ The Fallen blinked in shock. As his eyes took in the scary sight of Shuichi's younger brother, a million phrases pressed up against his brain, screaming for recognition. _He's important._ His brain was starting to hurt… a lot.

"Why are you here?" Shuichi ran at Manchu, but a bunch of zombies blocked his path. Enraged, the teen raised every zombie's blood temperature until they all keeled over, blood bubbling at the mouth. "And don't call me that!"

"I'm here to pick up a new friend of mine." Manchu took a step towards Shuichi. "You should be happy, Shuichi. I've finally acknowledged you as my elder brother."

"This was _not_ part of the plan, Manchu." Apollyon spoke up, a threat in his voice. "We had an agreement."

"Ah yes… a meeting between the two of us in which you finally join me… and the Fallen Angels. That I understood perfectly. But you never specified the circumstances under which the meeting was to take place. Or who was to be on the guest list, for that matter." Manchu shifted his gaze to Shuichi. "Ooh… Nii-sama, you look so surprised. Could it be? You had no idea you were traveling with the enemy?"

Shuichi was shaking. "What the hell is going on?" He screamed in Apollyon's direction. He couldn't look at the Angel. He couldn't look.

Tiril was in shock. He hadn't seen this coming at all. He was flabbergasted. He could barely process all the things his brain wanted him to know about Manchu… and now this? There had to be some kind of mistake. There had to! Either he was hearing things or his brain was about to implode from overstimulation!

But if it was true, Tiril was worried for Shuichi. The teen had been through enough already. This was going to hit him, hard. And it made Tiril angry, because Shuichi was important to him. He cared about Apollyon (possibly not anymore!), but he loved Shuichi. The teen was like his older brother, a father, and a coach, all wrapped into one. How was Shuichi going to deal with this?

"When I was captured by the Octo Dynasty, I was approached by representatives of the Fallen Angels. They told me of the fallacies and ignominies within my society. At first, I wanted nothing to do with them. But spending time with you, Shuichi, has opened up my eyes. I have seen how these Angels, who are supposed to embody purity and grace and light, I have seen how dark and cruel and decrepit they actually are.

"The system is broken. The very fabric of my society has been tainted by blood, the blood of demons and the blood of any who dare oppose the hypocrisy. Tiril is a living example of just how far the Archangels will go to keep their dirty secrets, all the while persecuting lesser beings for the same crimes." Apollyon spoke carefully, a sigh in his voice.

"Don't use me as an excuse to betray Heaven!" Tiril snapped out. The wind howled in agreement.

"You're not the only one… Suzu is another example. Do you think that if she wasn't related to an Archangel, she would be allowed to live in Heaven… to marry a High Angel? If a lesser Angel risked a relationship with a demon, they would be exiled from Heaven, their children slaughtered. But Kizura? She is allowed to live, to thrive. So why? Why is this allowed to happen? And why is no one doing anything to stop it?

"Those were the questions that plagued me at night. And then I realized that the Fallen Angels had been right all along. The current leadership in Heaven is immoral. I cannot have you enter Heaven, Shuichi, while my society is in such a rotten state. You will not last a day. Do you think they will respect you? Do you think they will treat you with the honor you deserve? The moment your sexual orientation is discovered, your status will be lower than that of a worm… but not if I have anything to do about it.

"I was convinced after hearing Suzu's story… but it was the revelation of Crimson's origins that confirmed my decision. I do not trust any of them anymore. Not after all the lies, the secrets, the stories… it is not right." The Angel of Hell scowled. "Suzu was right when she berated me for 'perpetuating the cycle'. Imagine… they got me to lie to you, Shuichi, to keep the truth from you. But not anymore… I will no longer perpetuate such decadence. I will end the cycle she spoke of."

"Wow. What a speech." Manchu laughed, his red eyes gleaming in the darkness. "My reasons for joining the Fallen Angels aren't as noble. I want to start… broadening my horizons. There's a war coming, Nii-sama. You'd better make sure you're on the right side, before things get serious. Playing Prophecy Boy is fun and all… but we wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you, right?"

Shuichi grit his teeth angrily. "I'm not playing anything! This isn't a game! You took someone from me! And I want him back!" The half-demon dashed at his younger brother, sword ready to swipe off his limbs.

But Apollyon appeared right in between them, holding his arms out. "I'm sorry." He said, sounding somewhat sincere. "I cannot allow you to harm him. Please step away."

Shuichi halted immediately. "Why? Why are you doing this Apollyon?" Shuichi cried out, clutching the hilt of his blade. He started to tremble once more. His palms were sweating so much, he was suprised his sword didn't slip right out of his hands.

"Yo, Fallen!" Manchu called out, looking at Tiril. "It's not too late for you to join, too. Sorry, the invitation was never extended to you, on account of you being comatose."

"Are you stupid?" Tiril's eyes flashed dark blue. "I will never join you."

Manchu laughed in response. "I see Raphael still has his claws in you. Have fun being an Archangel's puppet. You'll come around eventually."

"I make my own decisions! Raphael has nothing to do with it!" The boy shot back angrily. The wind around Manchu intensified for a moment. "How long can you hold your breath, you bastard?"

"Shuichi, I'm doing this because I love you. I can't let you commit yourself to your own death." Apollyon answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "The other Angels… we've seen how they lie and manipulate everything. This fallacy must end. And I will not allow you to be sacrificed for their _greater good_. I cannot allow you to enter Heaven while it is in such a state."

"Fallacy? What are you talking about?" Shuichi frowned.

"They put a clone into your mother's womb. If Crimson wasn't compatible with you or your mother, both of you could have died. They probably lied to her about his origins. And for what reason? Control. They scheduled your death, put your name on a list to send you to Hell. For what reason? Control. What do you think they're going to do to you once you reach Heaven? Why do you think they've kept Shu's body all these years?

"The moment you step beyond those pearly gates, they are going to shoot you where you stand." Apollyon narrowed his hazel eye. "But not if I have anything to say about it. I will stop them. The Fallen Angels want the same thing as I… the downfall of the crooked hierarchy that dares to call itself pure and righteous. I will help the Fallen, I will bring about the revolution to surpass all revolutions. I will slay every Angel in my path if it means keeping you alive. Because I have seen what they will do to push their own schemes, to make sure that you will follow the destiny they have written for you. And I will not let that happen. I will not let them turn you into a puppet."

"I… I don't understand. If you love me, why are you doing this?" Shuichi shook his head. It didn't make sense. It didn't make any damn sense. And Manchu was just standing there, looking so smug, like he had already won the battle.

"It is because I love you that I _am_ doing this. I will make Heaven a better place for you to rule over. When the Fallen Angels take Heaven, we will pledge our allegiance to you. I will make sure of it. It is those arrogant Angels who do not want anything to do with the rest of the universe. It is they who do not want the realms to be reunited. But the Fallen? They want that. They want to return to Heaven; they want the cruel restrictions taken away. And once we take Heaven, the realms can finally come together."

"That's not the way it's supposed to happen. You can't force assimilation, especially through oppression and chaos." Tiril replied calmly. "You're heading down the wrong path, Apollyon. You've created a new destiny for yourself… a destiny in which you will be killed by Yuki. If you continue down this path, you will die by his hand."

"W-what am I supposed to do, just sit around and wait for you to do my job for me?" Shuichi screamed. "After all you taught me, after all that's happened, you want me to give up and forget everything I'm supposed to do? I'm not a coward anymore, Apollyon!" He could not even _process_ Tiril's overwhelming declaration right now.

"It's too much for one being to do. You should not have to carry such a burden on your own. The other races will surely need some convincing and I have no intention of liberating you of that responsibility. But the Angels… the authority, the leadership must be changed. They cannot continue to commit crimes and not be punished for their actions. The Archangels have strayed from the path of light. They are monsters… all of them and they must be stopped. We will stop them."

"You're not even making any sense!" The half-demon protested. "How is what you're doing going to help me?"

"Do you think that if Seki knew a partial clone of one of the most lethal Angels who ever lived was being put inside her body, she would have let it happen? Of course not… so they filled her head with lies and stories that she passed down to you. They did it to monitor your growth, to make sure they could watch you at all times, to study and analyze you from the moment your heart starting beating. And you think that destroying the regime behind this atrocity will not help you? Shuichi, open your eyes."

"That still doesn't justify you joining the Fallen Angels. If you want to change Heaven, do it from the inside! Talk to the Archangels! Talk to other Angels!" Shuichi's eyes strayed to the ground. "I wanted to go back to the Demon Realm with you. I wanted to go to Heaven together with you. But this… I can't do this with you. I can't."

"I don't need your permission, Shuichi." The Angel replied softly. "I will save you, you'll see. And then you will realize how much I love you."

"I don't think you love me as much as you think you do." Shuichi frowned. "You're not even listening to me! You're treating me like some damsel in distress! And you've even joined Manchu. Don't you know what he's done to me? Don't you know what he put me through?"

"I know… I don't agree with his means… but I do agree with his ends. And it is because I love you so that I am able to throw aside my ideals, swallow my morality, and forsake my race." The Angel of Hell smiled. "You will understand one day, my love."

"D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!" The teen cried out, forcing himself to look away. His chest was hurting.

"We will meet again, one day. I understand if you feel you need to go to Heaven. I will still fight for you." Apollyon turned around, his black wings fluttering behind him. "Try to wait... I will make Heaven suitable for you."

"I thought you would never finish speaking." Manchu sneered, red eyes glowing with conceit. "It's time to go. I've got a job for you to do."

"Lay one hand on him and I will kill you." Apollyon glared at the demon as he walked by.

"Wouldn't dream of it." The dark-haired demon snorted. "After all, he is my precious Nii-sama. Oh and Nii-sama? I have a message for you."

"What?" Shuichi growled out, ready to pounce on Manchu.

"Michael says hello." Manchu barked out, a cackle in his throat.

Shuichi roared and dove in the air towards Manchu, but the demon vanished into the darkness. The half-demon crashed to the ground and threw his sword away in anger.

"Dammit!" He cried, tears stinging his eyes. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!" He punched the ground repeatedly, his pain and anger and hurt taking over him.

Tiril was by Shuichi's side in an instant and the barrier was erected around them. The few zombies around them disappeared.

"Shuichi, I'm sorry. I'm doing this for you, you know. I hope you understand that." Apollyon turned around, a sympathetic expression on his face.

"Get away from us!" Tiril shot back. "You traitor! Suzu was right about you!"

Shuichi sat back on his heels and leaned his head back so that he was staring up at the stars. There were so many of them in Nihilo. But they were fake. Everything was fake.

"I never meant to hurt you." The Angel said, looking straight at Shuichi. "I truly did value each and every moment we spent together, no matter how short."

Shuichi's chin quivered and his hands became fists. "Don't give me that bullshit." He spat out. "You don't have to do this, Apollyon. You don't have to!"

"Goodbye, Shuichi." Apollyon uttered as his body disappeared from their sight.

Shuichi bit his lip until it bled. He wouldn't cry. He sat perfectly still for at least ten minutes, thinking about every else except Apollyon.

"Shuichi, let's go." Tiril put his tiny hand on Shuichi's shoulder. "It's getting colder. Let's go back to the hotel."

The half-demon wordlessly stood up, waiting for Tiril to retract his barrier. As soon as it was gone, the two of them walked down the dark, damp street. The flickering streetlight blinked behind them.

* * *

Shuichi stared up at the white ceiling, arms behind his head. His mind was still going in a million directions. All he could think about was the conviction in Apollyon's voice, how sure he was. And Manchu… the cocky asshole who dared call him "Nii-sama" in such a mocking tone. It was a joke to the demon, a big joke because he knew from the moment he arrived that he was leaving with Apollyon. It was just the icing on the cake, the icing on the fucking poisoned cake.

Tiril sat on the dark green, fluffy couch that faced the window. He was meditating, trying to calm down his screaming mind. Meeting Manchu and Apollyon's betrayal had nearly overloaded his brain. He felt his nose running and figured it was because their room was slightly cold. The boy wiped his nose, only to find blood instead of mucus. The Fallen sighed and attributed it to stress.

_Manchu… what do I need to know about you? Or rather, why is there so much to know? It's going to take me a while to dig through all of this…_ Tiril inhaled deeply, keeping his eyes closed. _Okay… let's start with your origins… who's your mother?_ The Fallen fell into a deep, meditative state.

Shuichi rolled over on his side and scrunched his eyes shut. _I just want to forget about all of this. I hate him. I hate both of them! _The half-demon grit his teeth. _And who the hell does he think he is, saying he loves me? That's not love! That's not what love is!_

**Shuichi, I'm doing this because I love you.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**It is because I love you that I am doing this.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**I will slay every Angel in my path if it means keeping you alive.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**I cannot allow you to enter Heaven while it is in such a state.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**I will make Heaven a better place for you to rule over.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**I will bring about the revolution to surpass all revolutions.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**Shuichi, open your eyes.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**I will save you, you'll see. And then you will realize how much I love you.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!"_

**You will understand one day, my love.**

"_D-don't call me that! Don't call me that when you're about to betray me!" _Shuichi's pained voice rang through his skull. The half-demon shot up in shock and his heart started pounding.

And he just knew… he knew then that a little piece of him loved Apollyon, too. That lonely part of him that believed Yuki hated him, detested him and wanted nothing to do with him; that part of him rejoiced and treasured every second Apollyon was around. Maybe he had known all along… and maybe in the deep recesses of his heart, maybe he loved Apollyon back. But Apollyon wasn't Yuki. And while a small piece of his heart was for Apollyon, the feelings he had for the Angel were never as significant as the feelings he had for Yuki.

When Shuichi arrived in Hell, he truly believed that Yuki had deserted him. He thought it was foolish and stupid to keep pining after the blonde. All he wanted was someone to take care of him… and for a short time, Apollyon was the one to do so. The Angel had believed in him, had literally taken him under his wing. Apollyon not only gave him attention but _paid_ attention to him. And then, when the Angel was kidnapped, Shuichi did everything in his power to get him back.

_I still remember… how relieved I was to see him again, safe and sound._ Shuichi leaned his head against the wall and stared up at the ceiling. _Apollyon… But Yuki... he cares for me, too. And I... I love Yuki. I know I do! So **why**? Why does my heart feel like it's breaking?_

"It's weird, right?" Tiril broke the teen's concentration. "I don't understand it either. And what scares me is that I barely saw it coming. It worries me, because it makes me think there's so much more that I'm missing, things that could help us or keep us alive."

"No, no, you shouldn't worry about that. You can't force your powers to work. Just be grateful that you have them." Shuichi stood up and stretched. "I just don't understand how this happened. How I didn't see it coming either. There were signs, now that I think about it." He walked over to the green couch and plopped down next to the Fallen.

"He _was_ growing distant." Tiril leaned his head against Shuichi.

"And then you mentioned that he wanted to quit his job… but I just thought that meant he wanted to come back to the Demon Realm with us. I didn't think it meant… this." Shuichi reached over and gently ruffled the boy's green hair.

"Yeah… and then he was at the safe house for a really long time. He was probably meeting with someone to confirm… his allegiance."

"I don't understand Tiril… I just don't understand."

Tiril sighed. "He sounded crazy back there. I'm glad you didn't let him fool you. That's not real love."

Shuichi's mouth tasted like vomit. "I'm going to bed." He went to lie down on the lumpy bed. His purple eyes stared at the wall until he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Shuichi awoke with tears on his face. He hadn't slept well; he tossed and turned all night. He had horrible, nameless dreams he was glad to forget. The half-demon cradled his head in his hands.

_Apollyon…_ He stared out the window. It was still dark out. It was hard to tell that it was morning. Nihilo was certainly a weird place. It could have very well been 2 in the afternoon and he wouldn't have the faintest clue. Of course, that was why the city was littered with clocks and clock towers. He had noticed it last night.

Nihilo was amazing; it was nostalgic and novel at the same time. But it didn't change the fact that the city was in permanent darkness. It was depressing… especially for someone like Shuichi… especially for someone who had just lost a dear friend.

_But is that __all __he means to you?_ There it was… that taunting voice, that dark voice inside of him; the voice that spoke the truth, no matter how deadly or hurtful it was.

_I love him, too._ Shuichi admitted, a silent groan on his lips. When did things become so complicated? Part of him wanted to curse Yuki for being such a jerk. _I have needs, too!_ But the other part of him realized it was selfish and weak of him to latch onto Apollyon like he did. _I have needs… but I'm clingy, too. I was thankful that someone, anyone believed in me. And I drank his praise like a starving fiend. What was I thinking?_

But Apollyon's love was not clingy. It was not weak. It was disturbed… and somewhat twisted, convoluted. It was bordering obsession and it was a bit frightening. Shuichi could see it in the Angel's eye. The brunet truly thought that his actions would help Shuichi. Apollyon really believed that joining the Fallen Angels was the right thing to do.

_He's doing all this… for me._ Shuichi's eyes filled with tears. _I caused this._ This would be a serious blow to Heaven, he knew that much. He didn't know too much about the bureaucracy of Heaven. But Apollyon was the Angel of Hell. He had responsibilities and duties. Heaven would have to appoint a new Angel to take his place.

Would the Archangels try and cover it up? How would they react to Apollyon's betrayal? Would he be hunted and killed like a criminal? Or would he be imprisoned somewhere, locked away forever? The half-demon's chin quivered.

_Or… what if they blame me for his crime?_ His eyes widened at the possibility. Shuichi could see it now… being lead away in handcuffs and questioned for hours, kept in a lonely, dark room with creepy law enforcement and coffee and…

Shuichi shook his head and silently got out of bed. He stole a look at Tiril; the boy was fast asleep on the couch, his tiny chest rising and falling rhythmically. _He needs his rest… I'll be back in a little while. _And with that, the teen left the room.

One orange eye opened and Tiril grinned. _He needs some alone time right now… and I get to sleep longer. Maybe he'll be back with breakfast._ And with that, the Fallen went right back to sleep.

* * *

Shuichi walked along the illuminated street, hanging his head. He wasn't crying anymore. But he was still in pain. He was still very confused. But he understood one thing: Apollyon had made his decision. And no matter how much his decision hurt, Shuichi would still have to continue on his path. He couldn't stray now, not when he was so close. His mother, his _mother_ was waiting right around the corner. And he couldn't let anything deter him from that… not now, not after everything that had happened, after everything he had gone through. He had to keep on going, with or without Apollyon. No matter how much it hurt. No matter how angry he was. No matter how much he wanted to run after Apollyon and shake him.

The pink-haired teen shuffled his feet forward, not paying attention to anything or anyone around him. He was completely lost in thought, lost in himself, lost in a fog of introspection. He loved Apollyon, but was he _in_ love with him? Was it possible to love two beings at once? He didn't know… he was so confused by the Angel's confession. It was scary though, to think that he could be in love with the brunet. It frightened him…

"There he is!"

"It's that thing!"

"That traitorous bastard!"

"Monster!"

Shuichi's head shot up at the shouts and jeers. There was a crowd of humans and demons (all presumably dead) standing in the middle of the street. They were all shouting at someone, but who? Shuichi pushed through the crowd until he found himself in the center. One of the dead humans started throwing rocks in Shuichi's direction and he dodged it without thinking.

A muffled cry of pain caused the half-demon to whirl around. Shuichi's jaw dropped open. A boy who didn't look a day older than three was standing three feet away from him. His face was bleeding. His eyes were filled with tears that would not fall.

"W-what? What is this?" Shuichi looked around the crowd. "What's going on?"

"Get him! Teach that monster what he deserves!" One of the demons shouted.

"We'll teach him to show his face on our streets!" A human bellowed.

A bunch of rocks appeared around Shuichi and the boy. The barrage began a second later. Shuichi scowled and formed a water barrier around himself and the boy. This finally seemed to get the angry crowd's attention.

"Oi! Brat, move away from that thing!"

"He's bad luck! A cursed child!"

"Bad blood runs through his veins!"

Shuichi could not believe his ears. "Why are you attacking him? He's just a child!" He turned his head to stare at the toddler.

"You don't **KNOW** who he is?"

"All the more reason you should get away from him!"

"Yes, let us get back to torturing him!"

"It's not like he isn't used to it! This is his punishment for showing his face!"

Shuichi's eyes flashed furiously. "Punishment? What right do you have to punish this boy? Leave us alone or I'll PUNISH you all!" The water from Shuichi's barrier morphed into multiple ball of waters. They hovered around Shuichi and the tiny boy, threatening to drown the attackers.

Slowly, the crowd dispersed, muttering and mumbling angrily. Shuichi let out an annoyed sigh and turned to his quiet companion. The boy was wearing a black, hooded cloak with ripped sleeves that reached his knees and dirty, blue sneakers. His body was hunched over in pain. The boy's hood concealed most of his head, but a few strands of sandy brown hair stuck out.

"Hey… are you alright?" Shuichi knelt down and put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm okay…" The toddler sniffled, wiping eyes. "Pain, pain, go away!"

The teen smiled and stood up. "Great. I was just about to get some breakfast. Would you like some?"

"Yeah!" The brunet replied excitedly.

_The sooner I find out who he is, the sooner I can bring him back to his parents._ Shuichi was worried about the poor boy. Why was he being treated like that? But then again… if he was being abused by strangers… what were the chances that his parents were actually around? But to be alone at such a young age… it was saddening.

"My name's Shuichi. What's your name?" Shuichi asked as they began walking down the now empty street.

The sandy-haired boy titled his head back, revealing eerie silver eyes and an innocent smile. "Riku!" The boy piped up. Above them, a streetlight flickered.

* * *

**Feedback would be lovely but I've got my regulars whom I deeply appreciate. I'm always willing to accept new regulars, though! ;)**

**The Lady Caroline Muze, lilgurlanima, and RiverSakina - I'm counting on you guys! You guys consistently review and I love it! XD Thanks so much for reviewing my last chapter!**


	56. Chapter 41: Jewel of the Sea

Hi everyone. Why did it take me five weeks to write this? Some bad writer's block. I would literally stare at the 2 pages I had and nothing would come to me. It didn't help that I was completely miserable at this time, constantly fighting with my Mom and ugh (I was ready to run away somewhere to escape, and by run away I mean drive). I also had a housing crisis (yay senior year, yay not being homeless) so I needed to find some place to live in a short amount of time. Luckily I did. My room has Disney pictures. I was sold from the moment I walked in.

My friend and I had a falling out and that kind of messed me up. It was kind of like someone had the wool pulled over my eyes and they suddenly yanked it off. (Lesson learned: If one of your friends has a bad temper and a mean streak and you're afraid of making her angry, don't stick by her. Especially if she screams at you.) I went to Wildwood for a week with my friends from college (apparently I'm better at Apples to Apples when I'm drunk and I also alphabetize my green cards which I never do sober).

Can I just say that my 12-year-old cousin took 122 pictures on her phone of the people from Jersey Shore? What the hell is wrong with children in America? Sometimes I want to bash her head in. But I love her, so I won't do it.

I've missed 2 episodes of Naruto and 2 of Weeds, I think. So now that I've finished this, I'm going to watch them. I tried just about everything to get inspired. I tried promising myself Dunkin Donuts Coolatas. Didn't work. I tried punishment and banned myself from watching Naruto. Didn't work. But ironically, Delia's review did it for me. I say ironic, but you'll understand why once you read this. Anyway, I've had your surprise idea for years. It just took me a long ass time to execute it. Without further ado, here's your surprise Delia! I hope you like it.

Actually, more irony. This is Chapter 41. I haven't updated for 41 days. Fate?

I had "_Rain_" by **Gackt** on repeat while writing this. Fantastic song.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation or the song "I'm on a boat".

* * *

_**CHAPTER FORTY-ONE:**_

_**JEWEL OF THE SEA**_

* * *

_Hmm… Manchu's mother is quite interesting. She's rather important. But why? Reiko, Reiko, Reiko… who are you?_ Tiril was sitting up on the couch, lost in thought. So lost in thought that he did not hear the door open... but what caught his attention was the rustling of bags.

Tiril whirled around excitedly. "Shuichi, I'm hung-" The words died on the Fallen's tongue as he saw that _two_ people had entered the hotel room, not one. "Who is that?" He waited for the teen's explanation, eyes locked onto the unknown boy.

Shuichi smiled and pulled the tiny boy over the threshold. "This is Riku. I found him while walking around. He was being bullied by locals." The teen put his free hand on the toddler's head. In his other hand, he held two full bags of food.

"You can't just find weird children on the streets and take them home! He's not a cat!" Tiril frowned slightly. He hopped off the couch and strolled over, narrowing his orange eyes at the newcomer. And Shuichi never just _found_ someone; everyone the half-demon seemed to encounter was special… himself included.

The toddler before Tiril had a dirty, scarred, but cherub-like face. Sandy brown hair framed pale cheeks and wide, silver eyes stared back at the Fallen. The boy was small and thin and quite obviously, a dead demon.

_Well… at least I'm no longer the short one around here._ Tiril continued on appraising Riku. It was odd… his brain felt oddly blank, vacant, as if there was nothing about this boy that was different, nothing special to learn. But Tiril knew better. He closed his eyes and felt his mental energy glide towards Riku, probing and searching for something, anything.

_Humph… guess you didn't get the memo the first time around._ A sinister voice popped into Tiril's skull and a dark, impressive force pushed against his mind. _Contrary to popular belief, boy, there are some things you _**_shouldn't_**_ know. _

Tiril's forehead exploded with pain and he dropped to one knee, gasping for air. A second later, the pain was gone. _W-what the hell was that? What is inside of him?_ The boy massaged his forehead and stood up shakily.

"Tiril? What's wrong?" Shuichi asked, letting go of Riku's hand and rushing towards the green-haired boy.

"Oh… I think I just strained myself." Tiril forced a laugh, wiping the back of his neck. "I'm okay. Let's eat."

"If you say so." Shuichi shrugged and turned back to Riku. "You can sit on the couch, if you'd like."

"Okay!" Riku grinned, scrambling over to the couch and climbing up on it.

_The voice in my head just now… was not his._ Tiril stiffened as he played the sinister voice over and over again in his head. It sounded nothing like the cheerfully loud tone Riku used. How could someone have another presence in their mind? Did Riku know it was there? What exactly was guarding Riku's mind… and why?

No… Shuichi never just _found_ someone. Not at all.

* * *

Shuichi burped loudly and fell backwards onto the bed. "Aaah that was delicious! Tiril, we have to come back here some day."

"Sure. I still want to meet Mickey Mouse." Tiril answered, sipping the last of his juice. He gaze Riku an odd glance, but the younger boy paid him no mind.

"I wanna go, too!" Riku said eagerly. "Where are we going?"

"Ichiban Castle." Shuichi said with a glint of determination in his purple eyes. _We're finally going… today… to see my Mom!_

"Oh. I can't go there." Riku pouted. "I'll get in trouble."

"Says who?" Tiril cocked his head to one side.

"Everyone." The toddler shrugged.

"Well, right now, we're everyone. And we say you can go. Besides, it's not like you've got anything else to do." The Fallen reasoned.

"I've never been to a castle before!" Riku grinned, happy to come along.

_Who is this little boy?_ Shuichi frowned. _And why does everyone seem to hate him? _He had a feeling that bringing Riku to Ichiban Castle wasn't going to end well. But he didn't know why. And he couldn't just abandon the boy. He wasn't going to be like "everyone" and abuse a toddler.

After checking out of the hotel and getting directions to the dock, the three males were on their way. Many of the demons and humans gave them odd looks as they walked down the street, but no one did anything. It seemed as though news of Shuichi's earlier actions had spread.

"Zeitgeist Sea…" Tiril tasted the words on his tongue as they walked. "That's quite the name. I wonder how long it will take to cross the water."

"I don't know… but wasn't Kizura supposed to arrange a boat and everything?" Shuichi pondered out loud. "I guess we'll ask when we get there." The street they were on curved slightly and then started rising uphill.

"Who's Kiss-or-a?" Riku asked slowly, trailing slightly behind Shuichi and Tiril. "And I can't wait to go to the sea! I love water!"

"Not kiss… KIZ, like the diz in dizzy." The Fallen rolled his eyes. "And you walk too slowly. Hurry up!"

"I have short legs!" Riku protested cutely.

"You like the water, Riku?" Shuichi grinned back at the toddler.

"Yeah, I love everything about it! I love taking baths, drinking water, playing with water… sometimes I just like to look at it. It makes me feel happy." Riku babbled on. "Then if I have extra I'll pour it into a cup over and over and over and over and over and over a-"

_Oh great, he's a hydromaniac…_ Tiril inwardly sighed. _Or worse… he's crazy._

The street was going upwards at a steep incline. This slowed their pace somewhat. Other demons and humans walked about, going into the various stores and attractions on the street. There were some odd glances thrown in their directions, but like before, the trio was left alone.

"Wow. It sounds like you enjoy water as much as I do." Shuichi chuckled. "That's great. Maybe we'll get to play in the sea on the way to Ichiban Castle. Would you like that?"

"Yeah, yeah, can we?" Riku shouted out, his silver eyes glowing with excitement. "I wanna!"

"Uh guys…" Tiril paused to sniff the air. "I think we're close to the dock."

Shuichi smelled the air and grinned. "It's the ocean! This is fantastic!" _I can't remember the last time I was near so much water… I don't remember going to the beach, but I'm sure my mother took me. _The half-demon let out a sigh of relief. _After living in the desert all that time… and finally… water._

Shuichi, Riku, and Tiril had reached the highest point on the street, which had turned into a cement hill of sorts. Even though the city was in darkness, from here they could see the bright blue of the ocean. It sparkled in the distance like a cataclysmic mirage. They could see the dock too; the entrance was at the bottom of the hill. A heap of ships, ferries, sailboats, coracles, jet skis, gondolas, canoes, houseboats, kayaks, dinghies, catamarans, submarines, yachts, motorboats (lol), schooners, water taxis, and even a banana boat or two were stationed at the dock.

Shuichi took in a mighty gulp of sea air. "Aah… smells like freedom." The pink-haired boy crossed his arms over his chest. This was it. He was here. He was going to take his boat, cross the sea, and find his Mom. And then do a shit ton of other stuff… like getting his memories back, finding out about the prophecy, telling Crimson he was a clone, seducing Yuki, possibly reuniting five realms, etc. But now certainly wasn't the time to worry about such things… certainly not.

Riku shrieked happily as Shuichi picked him up and started running down the hill. "Wait for me!" Tiril giggled happily as he tore after the teen. They ran past a bunch of warehouses that had been built conveniently around the dock.

Shuichi kept his eyes on the Zeitgeist Sea as he ran. He could see the barrier around Nihilo clearly, because there was something that separated the city from the water, a clear wall that the waves gently smacked against. As they ran down, he caught sight of white sand that was below the pier. The pier was a long, wooden structure that extended from the edges of the dock, passed through the barrier, and stood proudly over the ocean.

The entrance to the dock consisted of a large booth with an even bigger sign next to it. A black-haired male with a bored expression sat behind the booth, nursing a beer. A bunch of humans and demons were out on the pier, walking around, some of them going aboard their ships.

Shuichi finally stopped running when he a few feet away from the booth, setting Riku on the ground. "Let's go, guys!" He happily skipped over to the booth.

"How can I help you today?" The black-haired male uttered in a monotone voice, his nametag proclaiming his name to the world: Ed. His dull, murky green eyes strayed from Shuichi, to Tiril, and finally, to Riku. The male's eyes widened upon seeing Riku, but he said nothing.

"Er… hi, Ed, my name is Shuichi Shindou. I think someone has a boat for me? I'm supposed to go to Ichiban Castle." Shuichi grinned.

"Ah yes… someone called about that the other day… said a half-demon with pink hair would be taking the corvette out to Ichiban Castle." Ed gave Shuichi a look over and sipped his beer.

"Umm… isn't that a car?" Shuichi cocked his head to one side.

"A corvette is a small battleship." Ed replied dryly, maneuvering some papers around on his desk. "The lady that called said you might need protection."

_Protection from what?_ Tiril frowned, giving Ed a suspicious glance. "Who called you and what did they say exactly?" The green-haired boy demanded.

"I don't remember who she was… I don't really care. All I know is that she paid for the ship upfront and left a nice tip. She was kind of rude, though; she specified the _exact_ type of ship she wanted you to have… wouldn't even listen to my other suggestions." Ed informed them. He reached underneath the booth and pulled out a piece of paper with a seal on it.

"Rich, rude, female, and controlling? Well, if that's not Kizura, I don't know who else it could be." The Fallen shrugged. "But what did she say about protection?"

"Here you go. Mr. Shindou, sign your name at the bottom of the paper. Then I'll get someone to bring you out to the corvette." Ed turned his bored gaze over to Tiril. "Zeitgeist Sea isn't a pool. It's a vast ocean filled with sea monsters, ghosts, and all kinds of unfathomable things. If you're heading all the way out to Ichiban Castle, you're bound to be attacked by something."

"Sounds scary…" Riku mumbled, shuffling closer to Shuichi.

"Don't worry, Riku." Shuichi said over his shoulder, simultaneously looking around the booth for a pen. When he didn't find one, he simply conjured up his own ink and signed his name on the bottom of the document. When he was done, the remaining ink turned into water vapor and vanished.

"How did you do that?" Ed's jaw was open as Shuichi handed him the paper.

"Uh… optical illusion… I had a pen the whole time." Shuichi laughed nervously. "I specialize in illusions."

"Oh. You're good." Ed's bored expression returned. "I was about to say, water is an obsolete element. Hardly anyone uses it anymore."

"How long have you been working at this dock?" Tiril narrowed his eyes.

"Since it opened… I've seen all sorts of things." Ed yawned and started organizing his papers again. "But you've got business at Ichiban Castle. I'll call Smoky right away." The male held his hand out and a phone appeared in his hand. He pressed a few numbers. "Hey. Smoky, you there? The half-demon is here, you know, the one with the corvette? … Yeah, he's got two kids with him. … Is the crew ready? … … Okay, see you soon."

"Crew?" Shuichi repeated dumbly.

"Do you know how to navigate a battleship?" Ed countered, rolling his eyes.

"Wow…" Tiril's eyebrows rose. "I'm impressed. But why couldn't we get a cruise ship instead? What the heck am I supposed to do on a battleship?"

"We can play with cannons!" Riku suggested eagerly.

"Uh… no, I'd rather not." The Fallen gave Riku a look.

"Fine, Shuichi will play with me." Riku glared back at Tiril.

"Er… yeah, we can just play with water instead." Shuichi offered, stepping in between the two boys.

"Can you three step aside? I've got more customers." Ed gestured behind Shuichi, his trademark bored tone sprinkled with annoyance.

"Oh, sorry!" Shuichi moved towards the pier, tugging Riku and Tiril with him. There was a huge line of demons and humans behind them, waiting to enter the pier. Some of them glared at Riku. Others ignored him.

"Your ship is ready." A gruff voice spoke from behind Shuichi and he turned around, facing a tall demon with blue skin, bulging muscles, and tentacles for appendages. His gray beady eyes bored into Shuichi's and then glanced at Riku.

"Thanks, Smoky!" Shuichi nodded and started walking towards the pier.

"You can't bring that boy." The demon, Smoky asserted firmly.

"What?" Shuichi whirled around, hands on his hips. "Why not?"

"That boy is a traitor to Hell. He shouldn't even be on the pier." Smoky gestured towards Riku with one of his slimy tentacles. "That _thing_ even setting foot near Ichiban Castle is strictly prohibited."

"Okay then, if we leave him, can we just go?" The Fallen sighed loudly. _As if we need to drag the baby with dissociative identity disorder along. Who knows what that voice in his head is? We've got enough problems._

Riku's chin quivered and his silver eyes filled with tears. The line of customers by the booth started to grow longer. Some of the humans started muttering angrily and some demons threw Riku threatening glances.

"Tiril, shut up!" Shuichi snapped out, walked over to Riku, and picked him up. "I'm not leaving him behind. Why can't I bring him? What's the big deal?"

"If you don't know who that boy is, you're obviously not from around here. You must be new to Hell." Smoky growled out. "Or maybe you've been living in a cave for a few centuries. That boy is _NOT_ allowed out of Nihilo. It is forbidden for him to enter Ichiban Castle. That is the law and the law will not be broken."

"I understand that!" Shuichi shouted back. "But why won't anyone tell me _WHY_ he's prohibited? What's so horrible about him? Why do you call him a monster, a traitor, a curse?"

"We do not speak of it." Smoky hissed out, his gray eyes flashing red. "The blood that runs through that thing's veins is pure evil. He is _not _to near our beloved Lord Lucifer nor ANY of his children."

"It's okay, Shuichi. You can leave me." Silent tears ran down Riku's cheeks.

Tiril frowned as Riku started crying. "How can you expect us to blindly follow some rule if you won't explain it to us?" The Fallen glared at Smoky. Sure, maybe he didn't like Riku. But did the Fallen want him to cry? Of course not!

The sight of Riku's tears enraged Shuichi even more. He was beyond angry. And part of him didn't know why. Part of him thought he was overreacting. Maybe he was still angry about Apollyon. Betrayal wasn't an easy thing to get over. His anger was spilling over and he kept thinking about how unjust it was to treat someone like Riku as if he was a monster.

_But… is it really okay for me to be this mad?_ Shuichi stared down at his clenched fist. _No… it's okay with get angry. It's what I do with this anger that counts. And I'm tired of being told what to do. I'll get to the bottom of this. I'll find out why everyone hates Riku. And then I'll make a judgment for myself. But until then… he stays with me._

"If you want to get on that ship, you're gonna have to leave that thing behind." Smoky said, finality coating his voice.

"He is_ not_ a thing." Shuichi summoned the Blade of Lamentations with his free hand. A couple humans gasped. "Forget your stupid boat. I don't need it."

Riku squirmed in Shuichi's hold and looked at the sword in the latter's hand. "Wow… it's so pretty." He reached out with one hand to touch it.

The silver, black, and red eye that was embedded into the hilt started to glow purple. Its gaze seemed to be fixated on Riku. Shuichi cautiously set the toddler on the ground, staring at his weapon in surprise.

"What's going on?" Tiril asked, confused.

"I'm not sure…" Shuichi trailed off, bringing the hilt closer to him, trying to look directly at the eye. But the glowing eye kept looking at Riku. "It's never done this before." He watched as the blood red hieroglyphics began glowing as well.

"Can I hold it?" Riku's silver eyes were completely transfixed with the Blade of Lamentations.

Shuichi turned the sword around to look at the indigo egg that the Archangel Michael had given him. It was shining faintly, giving off purple light. "I-I don't think that's a good idea…" The half-demon held the sword up in the air and started swiping it around, but the eye kept its gaze on Riku. _What the heck?_

"Who are you?" Smoky took a menacing step towards Shuichi, although, it was more like a slither, considering he didn't have feet. But it was certainly menacing nonetheless. Some of the other demons started to surround the trio.

"Well, you _could_ tell us who Riku is. Then maybe we'd figure out why the sword's gone mad!" Tiril threw his hands up in the air. "But noooo, you won't tell us anything!"

Shuichi stared at his sword, puzzled. Riku was acting like he was in a trance, as if nothing else existed but the eye looking at him. "Riku? Do you… do you know the eye?" It was strange that he never questioned it before, the eye that was embedded into his weapon. Shuichi had just accepted it, as if all blades normally had body parts in them. But it wasn't stationary; it wasn't a picture; it moved around. And… whose eye was it? Why was it interested in Riku… and the egg?

"No… I think it knows me." Riku answered slowly.

Now _that_ was odd. Shuichi ran his fingers down the sharp blade, over the glowing hieroglyphics. He never questioned _those_ either. What did they mean? There were too many things in his life to question right now. His head was about to split open. The half-demon wished that Suzu was still around. Maybe she would have some kind of wisdom to offer. But even _she_ didn't know everything. And plus, it wasn't right to depend on her all the time.

But he didn't have time to ask questions. He didn't have time to sit and study his blade. He was supposed to be on his way to his Mom. Whether Shuichi found out what was going on with his sword or not, one thing remained the same: he was _going_ to cross that ocean.

So what was there left to do? Just go with the chaos of the moment.

"_Keep it safe within your blade… and when it the time is right, submerge it into a body of water." The time is now, Michael. The time is now!_

"Tiril." Shuichi uttered and the trusty barrier appeared. He held out a hand and closed his eyes, concentrating, thinking of all the water in his body.

"What's he gonna do?" Riku asked curiously, finally tearing his gaze away from the sword. He jumped as a demon tried to get inside the barrier. The demon was electrocuted and dropped to the ground. "Wow."

"Don't worry… no one's getting inside here." Tiril gave the brunet a small smile. Then he turned back to Shuichi and his jaw dropped.

Fluids of all kinds were discharging from Shuichi's body… everything from sweat to blood to mucus to cerebrospinal fluid. The fluids hovered in the air next to the teen, stacking on top of each other. Then slowly, the tower of fluids began to spin and swirl around, until the Fallen could no longer tell where the aqueous humor began and the endolymph ended.

Shuichi opened his eyes and stared at the vast ball of fluid that was floating by him. His grasp on the hilt of the Blade of Lamentations tightened. The ball floated over towards the hilt by his command. The moment the ball containing his bodily fluids collided with the indigo egg, Shuichi's world turned turquoise.

* * *

Waves. That was all Shuichi could hear. Waves. He groaned and opened his eyes, only to see that he was submerged in water. He started gasping for air and flailing around… until he realized he could actually breathe.

Shuichi started looking around. He was underwater somewhere… the water was clear and unpolluted. There were fish of all kinds swimming by him, all minding their own business, coral reefs and grottos not too far away. He exhaled, watching in shock as clear bubbles rose above his head. The bubbles rose and rose until he couldn't see them anymore.

There weren't just fish in this vast ocean, the half-demon realized. There were dolphins, sharks, whales, and seals, too! He had never seen so much wildlife, no _life_ in the ocean before. A great variety of plants was growing in this water, too, all types of seagrass and water lillies and other flora he couldn't name. Shuichi squinted his eyes as he tried to stare further down into the ocean's depths. He could've sworn he saw something glinting… and he imagined there was a sunken ship down there, just full to the brim with treasure.

Shuichi jumped, swimming to the left as an octopus swirled by him, its eight legs propelling it along. Grinning, he followed the animal, swimming as fast as he could. He could stay here forever. It just felt _right_ to be here. The water's temperature was just right…

"You found me." A kind voice broke Shuichi out of his revelry.

Shuichi squawked, bubbles exiting his mouth. He looked up and his purple eyes widened. The most beautiful creature he had ever seen was floating before him. Her entire unclad body was made of blue water, the purest blue of all blues. Long, blue tresses flowed behind her like a mermaid's tail. Her wide, purple eyes gazed straight into his. Her limbs were long and graceful.

Shuichi could see right through the exquisite creature, proving that physically, she _was_ composed of water. Her body resembled a woman's silhouette, for she had curves in all the right places, but none of them were as defined as something solid. A thin, golden headband rested on the middle of her forehead. It had a little purple stone embedded in the middle, right between her huge eyes.

"… You're gorgeous." Shuichi whispered out in awe. "Who are you? What are you?"

"I am yours to command. I was given to you for safekeeping." She sang back at him, her rhythmic voice soothing his soul. "I am a water nymph." Her long, blue fingers stretched out towards Shuichi and he happily took him.

"Where are we?" Shuichi asked as they swam through the ocean, passing by a school of fish.

"We are inside my prison." She answered in that same sing-song voice.

"Prison?"

"I have been here for thousands of years, with none but my own creations to console me…"

"… Who would do such a thing? And why?"

"My story is to be told when there is time to tell it. Long eternities I have spent here in my ocean… and I long to return to the outside realms. But once I return, I will not be able to communicate with you."

"O-okay… so how do I get you out?"

"When you awaken, this is what you must do…" The water nymph stopped swimming then and turned to him, her purple eyes serious. A seahorse whirled around Shuichi, leaving a trail of bubbles behind…

* * *

Shuichi awoke to shouts and yells. He rolled over onto his stomach, covering his ears, only to see the mob of demons attacking the barrier. The half-demon shot to his feet, checking to see if Riku and Tiril were okay.

"Good morning, Shuichi." Riku grinned widely at him.

"It's about time you woke up!" Tiril shouted at the teen.

Shuichi burst out laughing, shaking his head. "I love you both." He affirmed, looking above his head. The ball of his body fluids had completely overtaken the indigo egg that contained his water nymph. The Blade of Lamentations was nowhere to be found so he summoned it.

Shuichi took a deep breath and turned to Riku. "Come here. This is what you must do." He knelt down and drew Riku close to him, whispering in the tiny boy's ear. Tiril stared at them suspiciously.

"Are you sure?" Riku pouted at Shuichi.

"It'll work, I promise." Shuichi answered, drawing away from the boy. "Ready?"

"I guess so." The toddler replied, holding both his hands out.

Shuichi passed the Blade of Lamentations from his hands to Riku's. The moment Riku's fingertips grasped the blade, the red hieroglyphics shone brilliantly. Riku's tiny body started glowing as well. Shuichi watched as a trail of red hieroglyphics started to appear all over Riku's body.

Riku took a deep breath and lifted the Blade of Lamentations so that the tip was pointing straight at the indigo egg. He opened his mouth and began to speak: "What has been sown must be reaped. What has been sealed must be released. What has been hidden must be revealed. In darkness you remained… in light you shall emerge-"

"Tiril, pull back!" Shuichi shouted and the barrier vanished instantly. Demons and humans alike rushed at them, eager to fight.

"-Cordelia, Jewel of the Sea, I liberate you." Riku finished and a beam of light shot from the Blade of Lamentations to the egg.

A faint cracking sound was heard. Then a shockwave emitted from the egg that grew in size and power as it traveled. First, it blew Shuichi, Tiril, and Riku back a few feet. Next, it toppled over the mass of Nihilo residents, blasting them away in various directions. Finally, the shockwave smacked right into the barrier, ripped a hole through it, and continued on through the Zeitgeist Sea until it traveled out of sight. Some of the humans screamed upon seeing the crater-sized hole in Nihilo's barrier.

The indigo egg broke in half and the water nymph Shuichi had seen only moments ago materialized into the air. She slowly looked around, studying her surroundings. She paid no special attention to the demons and humans who were gawking at her. Her purple eyes widened upon seeing the Zeitgeist Sea and she reached out with her blue fingers towards it.

The egg became whole and returned to the hilt of the Blade of Lamentations. Riku handed Shuichi the sword and the hieroglyphics that covered his body faded away. The toddler wiped his forehead. "Glad that's done." He grinned up at the water nymph. "Nice to meet you, Cordelia."

"Cordelia." Tiril stared at the water nymph. She was divine. The Fallen had never seen anyone so beautiful before. She was so breathtaking he could cry.

The sound of shattered glass broke everyone's trance. Shuichi turned towards the culprit, who was Ed. His beer was no longer in his hand. "Haven't seen you in a long time, Princess." The dark-haired male whistled shrilly. "What's it been… a couple millennia?"

The water nymph cocked her blue head to the side and then answered him. But her voice was no longer intelligible. Her words consisted of melodies and warbles, her consonants were rhythmic. Every word had a note, every sentence had a tone. She spoke in tunes and shouted in refrains. But none could understand her...

"Let them go." Ed finally stood up from his seat, his murky eyes narrowed. "That ain't no ordinary water nymph. And he ain't no ordinary half-demon, either." A bunch of the humans in the crowd turned to the black-haired male.

"Ain't nothin special about breaking the law!" Smoky roared back.

"Unless you want to end up at the bottom of the Zeitgeist Sea, you let them go." Ed shrugged, turning to the nearest customers on the line. "May I help you?"

"Let's go!" Shuichi shouted, rapidly summoning his icy disk.

"Get them!" Smoky plodded towards them, a cluster of demons right behind him.

"Hey, Shuichi, she says you haven't named her yet. You gotta give her a name." Riku tugged on Shuichi's sleeve.

"You can understand her?" Tiril and Shuichi shouted at the same time.

"Can't you?" Riku furrowed his brow, bewildered.

Shuichi stared up at the water nymph. Why did he have to name her? Wasn't her name already "Cordelia"? Or was that the name her previous owner gave her? No, that wasn't it… Cordelia was her name. So why did she need a new one?

"Delia." Shuichi called out. He wasn't about to give her a completely new name and identity. Not after she had been trapped in that egg for thousands of years. It just didn't seem right.

The newly nicknamed Delia twirled around so she was facing her attackers. She opened her mouth and let out an angry, ear-piercing shriek, her voice as high-pitched as a bird's. Every demon stopped running.

"Delia! That's a great name!" Riku grinned, jumping up and down.

Shuichi wove his hand and his icy disk grew threw times in size. Tiril clambered onto it, pulling Riku on as well. "Delia, come here!" Riku held his hands up in the air. Shuichi jumped on the back of his icy disk, blade at the ready.

Delia cocked her head to one side and vanished, leaving a trail of water droplets behinds. She then reappeared right above Riku's head. The brunet giggled happily as Delia sat on the icy disk, pulling him into her watery lap. Riku ran his fingers down Delia's arm. Her skin was covered in some kind of smooth film, a gel-like substance.

"She… she just teleported! Your water nymph can teleport?" Tiril shrieked. "She's the coolest thing ever!" He laid down on his stomach, staring out at the ocean. The Fallen kicked his feet in the air, making sure not to hit Shuichi.

Shuichi stabbed the Blade of Lamentations into the icy disk a foot away from where he was standing. He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the dock as the icy disk began to rise in the air. He dared anyone to attack them now.

"Sayonara, suckers!" Tiril stuck his tongue out at Smoky as the icy disk zoomed towards the hole in Nihilo's barrier.

"Ed. Contact Ichiban Castle… and tell them about the intruders." Smoky snarled out, staring at the group as they soared off towards the castle. "I'm sure Lord Lucifer's daughter will be _quite_ pleased to hear of this."

* * *

"Tiril, which way is the castle?" Shuichi asked as they left Nihilo behind.

"Umm… that way!" Tiril pointed due east. "It's gonna take a while to get there. But I'm glad we're not going on a battleship."

"I never thought I'd say this… but it's time for some B&E!" Shuichi whooped joyfully as they soared above the ocean.

"Bacon and eggs? Yeah, I'm hungry!" Riku looked up at the water nymph that was cocooning him. "Are you hungry, too, Delia?"

"No, silly, breaking and entering, as in the castle we're about to intrude." Tiril snorted. "And even if she was hungry, do water nymphs eat bacon and eggs?"

"Probably not." Shuichi snickered. "But it's a funny thought."

"Yeah… we could use some humor right about now." Tiril closed his eyes. "Considering we're about to face whoever Ed's calling right-" The Fallen's eyes shot open and he sat up straight.

"WHAT?" Shuichi shrieked out. "What do you mean '_face_'?"

"Umm… face as in fight? I think?" Tiril cringed. "Sometimes I hate my brain."

"Delia, what do you eat?" Riku cocked his head to one side, completely oblivious to what was going on. Delia sang back at him gently, running her watery fingers through his scalp. "Oh… I don't think we have any of those. I don't know what they are."

"Personally, I think they're making a big deal out of this." Tiril dangled his legs over the edge of the icy disk. "I mean, how do they think most of us made it to Hell? By always doing what's right and following the rules? _Hello_, this isn't Heaven! Who cares about a bunch of stupid rules anyway?"

"Yeah… but it doesn't seem like Hell has a lot of rules. This is the only one we've come across, I believe, or at least the only consistent one." Shuichi frowned slightly. "It makes me wonder why… what happened?"

"Oh well… rules were made to be broken." The Fallen shrugged. "And if no one's going to tell us, then I don't care."

"Weee!" Riku shouted, spreading his arms as widely as he could. The ocean air ripped against them wildly.

"I'm on a boat!" Tiril laughed, peering over the edge of the icy disk to stare at the ocean. "I'm on a boat! Everybody look at me, cuz I'm sailing on a boat!"

"That's NOT how it starts, Tiril." Shuichi snorted, a smirk on his face. "Awwwwww shit! It's about to go down! Everybody in the place hit the-" Delia turned her head towards him, her purple eyes narrowed. She sang at him once.

"Delia doesn't like what you said." Riku commented offhandedly.

"Eh?" Shuichi blushed slightly. "Sorry…"

"Everybody in the place hit the flipping deck!" Tiril shouted out.

Shuichi gave Tiril a mischievous look. The plan was born. "But stay on your mother-flipping toes! We running this, let's go!" The half-demon sat down, finally sure that no one was chasing them. He kept his blade inside the ice, so that it would not vanish. He winked at Tiril and the green-haired boy beamed back.

"I'm on a boat! I'm on a boat! Everybody look at me, cuz I'm sailing on a boat!" The Fallen chanted excitedly. "Take a good hard look at the mother-flipping boat!"

"I'm on a boat, mother-flipper take a look at me! Straight floating on a boat on the deep blue sea! Busting five knots, wind whipping at my coat! You can't stop me mother-flipper cuz I'm on a boat!" Shuichi screamed at the top of his lungs.

"What're you singing? I wanna learn!" Riku twisted around in Delia's arms.

**(Thirty minutes later)**

(**Bold** = Shuichi, _Italics_ = Tiril, Neither = Riku, _**Bold + Italics **_= All 3)

_"Take a picture, trick, I'm on a boat-"_ Tiril sang out.

**"Bitch!"** Shuichi bellowed, earning him a glare from Delia. "Sorry, couldn't replace that with anything."

_"We drinking Santana champ, cuz it's so crisp!"_

"I got my swim trunks and my flippie-floppies!" Riku giggled out.

**"I'm flipping burgers, you at Kinko's straight flipping copies!" **

"I'm riding on a dolphin, doing flips and ish. This dolphin's splashing, getting erybody all wet."

_"But this is ain't Sea World, this is real as it gets! I'm on a boat mother-flipper, don't you ever forget!"_

**"I'm on a boat and it's going fast and I got a nautical themed pashmina afghan. I'm the King of the World, on a boat like Leo!" **Shuichi threw a fist in the air.** "If you're on the shore, then you're sho not me-oh!"**

_"Get the flip up, this boat is REAL!"_

"Flip land, I'm on a boat mother-flipper!"

_"Mother-flipper!"_

"Flip trees, I climb buoys, mother-flipper!"

_"Mother-flipper!"_

**"I'm on the deck with my boys, mother-flipper!"**

_"Yeah!"_

**"The boat engine make noise, mother-flipper!"**

_"Hey ma, if you could see me now!" _Tiril stood up, pointing straight at the sky. _"Arm spread wide on the starboard bow. Gonna fly this boat to the moon somehow. Like Kevin Garnett… anything is possible!"_

**"Yeah, never thought I'd be on a boat, it's a big blue watery road. Poseidon, look at meeee, oh. Never though I'd see the day, when a big boat coming my way. Believe me when I say-" **

_**"I FLIPPED A MERMAID!"**_

"I'm on a boat! I'm on a boat! Everybody look at me cuz I'm sailing on a boat!" Riku started dancing around in Delia's lap. "I'm on a boat! I'm on a boat! Take a good hard look at the mother-flipping boat!"

_"Whoahhh! Sha-sha-shorty, shorty-"_ Tiril wiggled his hips.

_**"Yeah, yeah, yeahhh…"**_ The trio chorused sweetly. The three boys cackled and cackled as the icy disk traveled over the Zeitgeist Sea. Tiril was rolling over laughing, Shuichi had tears in his eyes, and Riku nearly choked. Delia did not sing a word, but a small smile was on her lips. The world had certainly changed during her absence…

* * *

**Wow… finished at 1:39am. It only took 41 days -_- Thank you for reading! And please review! If you found any mistakes, let me know. And yes I changed the lyrics to make them more... PG for Riku's sake haha. **

**Thanks, love, and cookies to: **Delia,** LoveHiei-Rine, chochowilliams, lilgurlanima, Shadow'sDarkLover, The Lady Caroline Muze, and ichika7walkure for reviewing my last chapter! You guys are the best!**

**Chapter 42: Remember**

**Shuichi gets his memories back. And he'll need every advantage he can get. Because Mika is about to wipe the floor with his ass.**


	57. Chapter 42 Part 1: Remember

**Konbanwa! I hope that the begining of the school year is going well for everyone. Minna, I'm a senior in college! How insane IS that? Not gonna lie, I suffered a tiny bout of senioritis on my 2nd day of classes. Yes, I'm that girl. Oh so we just learned how to type hiragana in my Japanese class. I'm super excited. Maybe I'll write something you guys next time.  
**

**There's some warped flashbacks, freaky n twisted dreams, and introspection in the beginning. Anyways, I realized that once I hit 18 pages, that this was going to be a long battle. Yeah, I know I've give you guys much longer chapters. But this just felt like Part 1 to me so I'm stopping here and continuing on in a bit, gotta get my thoughts together. And I decided that since I haven't updated for like a month, I would give you guys what I've got. I'm not sure about the ending and the revelation at the end. So I'd like some feedback about it. Tell me if it was believable or too rushed, etc. I think it will help me in the future. Thanks!  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation or "Memories in the Rain" from Bleach. See, I always ask for these lyrics like years in advance. But I use them!  
**

**Songs I wrote this to: "I Talk to the Rain" from Tsubasa Chronicles, "Bleed all over me" by Wicked Wisdom, "Memories in the Rain" from Bleach, "The Catalyst" by Linkin Park and "The Outsider Apocalypse Mix" by A Perfect Circle. **

* * *

Mika sat at her desk with her head in her hands. She could recall that first "Father's Day" like it was yesterday. If only her Mother was still alive; she would know what to do. But there was no point in wishing for the dead to return. Besides, she had more important things to worry about.

For one thing, her husband, Tohma was in jail. With Noriko. Who was not Mika. Who was alone in a cell with her husband. The thought of that human being with her husband make Mika want to hurl. Not that she _loved_ Tohma or anything, it was the principle behind it. The fact that Tohma had and always would love that ridiculous human and he didn't care if he embarrassed his own wife by practically proclaiming it to everyone.

"My life is in the dumps…" Mika groaned out loud.

The second biggest problem was Seki. Every since the woman had died, she had lived in _their_ castle. The woman was so much like her own Mother it was sickening. And the worst part was, Lord Lucifer was beginning to pick up on it. He was becoming more like his old self: less cold, more reasonable. He was scowling less and less. Mika hated it. She didn't want that stupid human to take her Mother's place. She would have killed Seki a long time ago, if the despicable human wasn't under the divine protection of Shu himself. Slowly but surely, Seki was making a positive impact on Lord Lucifer's life, something that no one else could do. It thoroughly disgusted the brunette.

The third problem was Seki's son, Shuichi. It had taken Mika a while to get used to… Tatsuha's "homosexual tendencies" and now Yuki had to go back to being "bi" for the stupid half-demon. Shuichi was jeopardizing Lord Lucifer's already shaky relationship with Nuri. And go figure, the half-demon's best friend was doing the same. It was probably a conspiracy between the two. Mika knew Shuichi was up to no good; she knew as soon as her brother stormed into her office and demanded to see Shuichi's file. Believe me, if the half-demon had died, Mika would have thrown a party.

So needless to say, Mika had a hate list on her. She had a feeling that Shuichi really was dead. And where would he probably go? To this very castle, to see his Mother. And when he finally arrived, she would be waiting. She would get rid of him then. Mika was strong; she had trained under a relative of Tohma's and honed her skill: plant manipulation. She would squeeze her vines around the boy's neck and watch as he slowly choked to death-

* * *

_**CHAPTER FORTY-TWO:**_

_**REMEMBER**_

_**(PART ONE)**_

_**

* * *

**_

Shuichi stared up at the sky lazily. The sea breeze ruffled his pink locks. The ocean extended for miles and miles. There was no sign of life in the water. Tiril and Riku were bickering back and forth about inconsequential things. The half-demon didn't bother to listen. The teen believed that Tiril just needed _someone_ to argue with now that Suzu was gone. And Riku just liked to talk.

Thinking about Suzu made him wince. He missed her. Sighing, the pink-haired male rubbed the bridge of his nose. He thought back to the first time they sang together on stage. _I've certainly come a long way from prostituting myself…_ He thought as his eyes drifted shut for just a moment, just a moment…

_Shuichi quickly finished his lunch, wiping his hands on his legs. He was about to sing for the first time in under an hour, and he was nervous. Well, at least this job didn't involve any taxes or lengthy job interviews or fights with coworkers. How Suzu had got him a job singing Monday through Friday every week Shuichi didn't know. It couldn't have been easy, but then again she could be very persuasive._

**_Ame ... Mae no hi mo ame de_**

**_Sono mae mo ame de_**

_"On a scale of one to ten, how worried are you?" Suzu plopped down in the seat next to him, placing a full plate of food on the table._

**_SLOW MOTION ai wa totsuzen ni_**

**_Ore no mae de kowarete_**

_"Ten billion." Shuichi mumbled darkly, running his fingers through his hair. "I have no idea what to sing… I keep trying to think of an easy song, but I can't think of anything."_

**_Hitotsu dake, tada hitotsu dake_**

**_Mamorenakatta kara_**

_"Yeah, but you won't be up there alone! You'll be with me and the piano the safe house people provide!" Suzu grinned joyfully and stuffed her mouth full of rice._

**_Tatakai wa mada tsuzuku_**

**_Hokori no tame ni_**

_"Safe house people?" Shuichi replied, smiling slightly._

**_NO TIME TO CRY_**

_"Well, the owners or whoever they are. They provide all the instruments and sound equipment needed." Suzu gulped down her third strawberry milkshake. "All you have to do is open your mouth and sing into the microphone."_

**_Naku no wa ato da_**

**_Rokugatsu no ame ni mata chikau dake_**

_"But… I can't pick a song. Suzu, I can't do this." Shuichi groaned out loud._

**_Kedo atatakana ame wa_**

**_Ore no hoho wo nurasu_**

_Tiril skipped over to their table and sat down next to Suzu. He was so hungry, he didn't say anything and began to stuff every bit of food down his throat, only pausing to chew and breathe through his nose._

**_SLOW MOTION atsui suzushisa de_**

**_Ore wo tsuyoku michibiku_**

_"Fine. I'll pick the song, you loser." Suzu rolled her eyes. "And if it makes you feel any better, I'll sing with you, too." Her mouth opened and she sang the next part of the song:_

**_"Omoide" nante namanurui mono dewanai kara_**

**_Wakaranakutemo, ima wa hashiru shika nai_**

Everyone's watching, everyone's watching, everyone's watching, sweaty palms, gripping the mike, but it might fall and never come back… but wait… he knows the words. He knows **these** words. He's sang this song before. He's ready, he's been ready. He can do this!

**_NO TIME TO CRY_**

Grinning, grinning so widely demons stare, suspicion coating their veins, their dead, useless veins. How could someone so dead be so happy? That is what they thought. But he didn't care, because he had Apollyon and Suzu and Tiril so he just opened up his mouth and began to sing:

**_Tsuyoku naru dake_**

**_Rokugatsu no ame wa tada inochigake_**

Shuichi was on stage now; all the lights were on him. No one could believe their ears. No one could believe his voice had such beauty, such depth. They were shocked. Smiling widely, he turned to Suzu. She had such confidence, he could see it in the way she held the microphone, the way she swayed and sashayed around the stage. Her voice didn't change, whether she was dancing around or standing still.

**_NO TIME TO CRY_**

And they would sing together. Suzu and him… just like they did that first time; they were beautiful together… the music they created when they blended their voices in a heavenly duet. Shuichi looked back at Suzu. Her purple eye gazed back at him. She was there, but at the same time, she wasn't. And it was then, as Shuichi opened up his mouth to finish the song with his Twin Flame, that he realized this was a dream…

**_Tsuyoku naru dake_**

**_Rokugatsu no ame wa tada inochigake…_**

See that wasn't so hard, now was it? You can sing and you can perform; it's natural to do so. It's what you've done all your life. Perform and put on shows for an audience. You're used to being watched and observed. You know how to behave. Fake? Does that make you fake? Are you ever really yourself? Do you **know** yourself? No, you do not. You have forgotten the most important thing. Or perhaps, you have not forgotten it at all and instead choose not to remember. What was it like to have a mother? You don't know. What was it like being a half-demon child, living in Kyoto? You don't know. What was it like, playing games with Crimson, inside of your head? You don't know. You should know. You should _not_ have forgotten.

**I do know myself! I do! And it's not my fault I have amnesia!**

Lies… you are so used to hiding the truth, pretending to be fine when you are not. But you cannot lie to me. You cannot deceive me. You cannot best me, because of who I am.

**Who are you?**

I am the "you" that you forgot. I am what you cannot remember. I am the truth.

_Shuichi reached out to touch a blue star, but of course, he couldn't reach it. "I don't know why a dream will teach you how to summon. It's almost as if you __**choose**__ to forget things." The voice was back._

_"What do you mean?" For some reason, those words haunted Shuichi, stabbing his heart. A green star spun around him, as if trying to comfort him._

_"There are many ways a being learns to summon: reading a passage out loud, standing out in the midst of a thunderstorm, being in mortal danger and having nowhere else to turn, hearing a certain song, being lost at sea… However, this is the first time a being has learned to summon through a dream. You will most likely not remember what has happened here._

_"The means by which you learn to summon is a direct reflection of your soul. For instance, the one who spoke with me beforehand learned to summon through hearing me sing a song. She finds music very inspiring and her soul delights in hearing certain melodies." The voice paused dramatically._

_"Suzu!" Shuichi shouted out instinctively._

_"Is that what she's called nowadays? Interesting." The voice commented. "Your soul, like hers, enjoys hearing good music. But there is dark uncertainty present in the depths of your soul. This darkness will prevent you from remembering what has happened here._

_"Because you are so young, your soul cannot handle all the power you are about to receive. Unlike your predecessor, your summoned beings will appear through a medium, a weapon of your choice. But beware of this: the beings you summon are __**not**__ your equals. They are not your companions and should certainly not be superior to you._

_"You are the one who controls them. The minute you think of them as equals, they will become beasts and ravage the earth, the skies, and the waters until you reestablish your authority. The same will happen if those you summon become more powerful than you. They will not respect a weak Master. Is this understood?" The voice explained gravely. A gold star twinkled in the distance._

**But Delia… she's not my equal. She's a million times stronger than I am. If anything, I am inferior to her. Am I wrong? Am I a "weak Master"? I have always been weak, always, always. It's so easy to hurt me. I'm not strong… but I want to be…**

Again, you forget what is important and dwell on things that have no significance. You are so quick to belittle, to doubt. Why?

**Why? WHY? If you're me, then you should understand! Horobosu! He knew me, he knew my deepest fears and used them and threw them in my face! How can you say I'm forgetting what's important? That WAS important to me and it still is and I won't forget it, I won't forget how easily he reduced me to nothing, HOW he stripped the life away from me and ripped my soul out of my body. How can you say-**

You would not have suffered if you knew the truth.

_Shuichi was breathing heavily, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Leave me alone…" The half-demon whimpered, his soul full of despair. Why was this happening to him? This phantom was attacking his soul, just as someone else had attacked his mind. Because he knew this demon, he had been in this room before, but his memories, his memories were all gone and he couldn't summon them at all. Someone had blocked them. All he knew was what was right in front of him. His only reality was the demon lord before him. But it couldn't be all there was. There had to be more. There had to be more than this._

_Lord Seguchi uttered a few words and they both heard something shatter. Without warning, Shuichi's body slid forward from underneath the bed. "There's no use in you staying under there, right?" He smiled menacingly. Shuichi stood next to Lord Seguchi, his face emotionally blank. He had accepted his fate. "You will die and you will die __here__ for the crime you have committed."_

_"Enough." A surprisingly cold voice said from behind them… and with that, Shuichi's awareness returned. This was the day of his mother's death. This was the day everything changed… this was the day Shuichi had forgotten completely because of his amnesia. He had blocked this memory out for so long, only remembering the sound of Lord Seguchi's cold voice, always haunting him in the sheer darkness, always within his deepest, darkest fears. And now it was here before him, in this distorted form, this illusion. Horobosu had been inside Shuichi's mind, because how else would the demon know of this? How had he dug inside the teen's consciousness so deeply as to find a memory that he himself had forgotten a decade ago?_

_With new tears streaming down his cheeks, Shuichi slowly turned his head. Now he would be forced to watch his mother die again, right in front of him. And she stood there boldly; ready to once again sacrifice her life for him so that he could be safe, so that he could survive. She wore a bloodstained, white dressed that flowed to the floor; was armed with a bow, arrows, and a small, red book. Her long, pink hair, the hair that matched his and her dark, blue eyes that seemed to shine like Crimson's… it was too much. He didn't think he could break again... but he did._

_"It didn't work!" Shuichi screamed at her desperately, but it was like she didn't even hear him. "You __**died**__ and for what! Yuki and Ryuichi left me… King Sakuma NEVER came to get me… I was kidnapped and tortured… I don't even know WHAT happened to me because I forgot it all. I forgot __you__! I forgot all about this day! I almost forgot everything… everything…" Even Lord Seguchi didn't reply. It was like he was frozen in time, he was screaming and screaming, but no one could hear him. No one would listen. He was all alone._

_Shuichi slowly sunk to the floor, sobbing. He was in so much pain. He just wanted it all to go away. When would this pain end? His life, his entire life had been full of such destruction and such suffering. He was sick of it, he was sick of it all. He wanted this vision to end… he didn't want to see his mother die again… but he wasn't in control, Horobosu was. And somewhere else, somewhere else he was dying and no one would be able to help him…_

_"Open the book!" Seki cried out as she shot an arrow at Lord Seguchi, halting him for a moment._

No… I don't want to… no…_ Shuichi began rocking back and forth, staring at the book fearfully. He knew that she was going to die soon. He didn't want to see it. He couldn't see it again. _I can't lose you again, not again… don't leave me alone!

_Shuichi could only watch with horror as the book opened up on its own, revealing its blank pages. "I seal thee away, thy treacherous demon. I seal thee away to Gehenna for all eternity." Seki closed her eyes and her remaining energy formed a ball around Lord Seguchi. It was going to happen… and he couldn't stop it._

_"NO! NO!" Both Lord Seguchi and Shuichi voiced their protests. The demon lord's body was transported into the book, which closed as soon as his body went in. Shuichi kept on screaming in, banging on the floor. His mother's arms enveloped him… for the last time. He stopped pounding and simply stayed still. His mother was holding him... and even though it was an illusion, it was real enough for Shuichi. It __felt__ real._

_"You're safe, Shuichi, you're safe…" Seki kissed him numerous times and ordered him to open the book again. Her hair curtained around the both of them._

_"No, no I won't do it." Shuichi whimpered. "Please, don't die again. Don't leave. You can't die!" Seki opened the book herself._

_Seki didn't answer and used one of her arrows to give herself a new wound. Blood dropped onto the open white page and disappeared. She leaned forward to write in the numbers "666" twice in the book, using the arrow's tip as a utensil._

_The book glowed and floated away from them. "My son, I love you. Remember: never take off your seal or tell anyone of your last name. You will survive, Shuichi, because your heart is strong. You will survive. You will-" Seki, Shuichi's mother, closed her eyes and her body slumped forward._

_Shuichi held his mother's dead body in his arms and shrieked hysterically. She was dead again. Again, he had to deal with the pain of losing her. Her blood was all around him, on him, on the floor. She was everywhere and he was nowhere._

_"Mommy! Mommy!" Shuichi cried out, rocking back and forth again, holding on tightly to Seki. "Why'd you leave me? Why'd you have to go? I miss you so much… I needed you and you weren't there. I needed you to hold me and kiss me and love me. Why weren't you there? Why did you leave me again? I miss you… I'm so alone..."_

_Shuichi closed his eyes, being in __this__ room, reliving __this__ memory for the first time in a decade… it made him feel nauseous beyond belief. Then, he could feel the darkness creeping up on him. He was going to black out again… and his torture would continue. Horobosu would continue until he died from his physical wounds. The demon would continue to tamper with his memories, taking and giving and warping as he pleased._

_"No! No! Not again!" Shuichi screamed in vain as his world went black. He couldn't do this again. He never wanted to remember…_

**You're no better than Horobosu! Why would you make me relive that again? WHY?**

You pushed it away, acting as if you were not broken and focused on other things. Crimson, Suzu, Apollyon, and Riku became more important than your own past. You allow novel things to take over and become absorbed into them, so you do not have to focus on me.

**How do I even know you're real? What if you're not ****mine****? What if you're just made up?**

Until you face me, you will never know.

**Face? I'm not fighting you. You keep saying that you're me. Why are you so angry?**

Do you not see? Do you not understand? You cannot keep me locked inside of you. I cannot remain here, in the recesses of your mind. I am your greatest strength, but thrown away, I become your greatest weakness.

**If I am to remember, I don't want to remember like **_**that**_**. Never again.**

Do you want to remember? Do you want me back?

**... Of course I do. **

_Long, pink hair surrounded him and he was falling, falling, falling why couldn't he remember? Why did Horobosu have to be the one to make him relive her death? Why did it have to be him? Blood, blood was everywhere, in his eyes and his ears and it coated his skin and was it hers? Was it hers? Or was it his own? Was he alive? Was there blood running through his veins? Or was it all out, was it all spraying out, bursting out, spilling out him. He couldn't get it back, he needed it. Why… oh why couldn't he have it? _

**I want it. I want it back. Give it back to me.**

You did this to yourself. YOU did this. Not me.

**I have suffered for so long. I did not punish myself. I would not punish myself! I did not!**

It was not punishment, it was asylum.

**I want it. I want it back. Give it back to me.**

You shall have it back. But know this. It was you. It was YOU.

**I want it. I want it back. Give it back-**

**

* * *

**

"Nee, Shuichi, wake up!" A childish voice whined.

Shuichi groaned as something landed on his chest. Opening his purple eyes, he grinned as he found himself nose-to-nose with Riku. He ruffled the boy's messy hair. "Sorry… I didn't even realize I was sleeping."

"Did you have any dreams?" Riku giggled as Shuichi sat up, holding the boy to his chest. _He's so warm…_

"… No, I don't think so. I can't remember…" The half-demon frowned slightly. He had the feeling that he dreamed. And his chest felt heavy, laden with something… but what?

"You kept saying that you wanted it back. I'm not sure what you want, though." Tiril offered with a cock of his eyebrow.

"It's your Mommy! You want her back!" Riku piped up.

"Yeah…" Shuichi trailed off uncertainly, scratching his head. _I have a feeling I forgot something important…_ He brushed the feeling off as he stretched. He was probably just nervous about reaching Ichiban, which was completely understandable.

Delia sang soothingly at the teen and he started to feel more relaxed and awake. "Hey, Riku? Why do you think you can understand Delia?" Shuichi asked curiously.

"I dunno… when she sings, I can hear Delia talk like you're talking to me now." The sandy-haired boy responded with a shrug.

"But she's not." Tiril pointed out flatly. "She's singing in a completely different language." _Something is translating what she's singing. And it's probably whatever's inside his head._

"Well, I don't _know_ why." Riku huffed.

"It's okay, Riku." Shuichi reached over to ruffle the toddler's hair. "I was just wondering. We'll figure it out, no worries."

_I hope the voice in his head doesn't kill us off first._ Tiril crossed his arms over his chest. "Say, Riku… do you ever hear voices in your head?" The Fallen blurted out.

"What?" Shuichi turned to Tiril, a look of shock on his face. "Why would you say that?"

"Uh… nothing… I was just curious. That's all." Tiril babbled, a blush dusting his cheeks. "I mean we all have voices in our heads. I was just wondering if there was one in Riku's head… that was converting Delia's language into ours."

"… That's not a bad idea." Shuichi pondered for a moment.

"If I had a voice in my head that was bilingual, don't you think it'd be doing a lot more than just translating stuff?" Riku frowned.

"I don't know Riku. _You_ tell me." Tiril shot back.

"Whoa, whoa!" Shuichi looked from Riku to Tiril. "What's going on between you two?"

"Honestly, Shuichi, you just pick up some random kid off the streets that _EVERYONE_ seems to hate and no one will tell us why. You're not the _least_ bit suspicious?" Tiril rolled his orange eyes. "He could end up getting us killed. They could banish _us_ from Ichiban Castle and then you'd never see your Mother."

"I understand your concern… and I agree. I don't think it's coincidence that I found Riku; all the more reason why I want him by my side." Shuichi smiled. "I want to see how this all plays out."

"Che, fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." Tiril scowled, wrapping his arms around his knees and glaring out at the Zeitgeist Sea.

"Tiril… is there something you're not telling me? I mean, I know the circumstances are shady, but you seem to have been against this from the start." The half-demon narrowed his eyes at the Fallen.

"I tried to see if there was anything I could… learn about Riku. And I didn't get anything. Not a phrase or a word about him." Tiril admitted grudgingly.

"What do you mean _learn_?" Riku gave Tiril a wary look.

"It shouldn't matter unless you've got something to hide." Tiril retorted.

Shuichi groaned and smacked his forehead. "A little help would be nice, Delia." He looked at the mysterious water nymph, who was gazing out at the ocean.

Delia turned around, her blue hair trailing in the wind. Her purple eyes locked onto Tiril. A flash of light hit the boy in the face and he fell over onto his back. She looked at Riku and the same flash of light him.

Tiril was the first to sit up, massaging his jaw. "Do you _know_ what corporal punishment can _do_ to a child? Jeez…" He pouted.

"Well I'm sure _you_ know. You just _know_ everything, don't you?" Riku glowered at the Fallen. "And it's your fault my face hurts."

Shuichi shook his head. "Be quiet or I'm freezing both your mouths shut." He warned, giving each child a stern look.

"You have no concern for my psychological development, do you?" Tiril threw his hands in the air. "You must want me to grow up to be an axe-murderer. Because that's the path that I'm going down right now… the axe-murdering path of doom."

"Look, I get that you miss Suzu… but now isn't the time for this behavior, alright?" Shuichi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What you said before indicated that we're going to be attacked soon. So I need us to get along. Right now, we're _all_ we have."

"Fine… but next time, _I_ get to pick the straggler we adopt." Tiril shrugged, avoiding Shuichi's gaze.

"Done. I hope I've deterred you from the path of axe-murdering doom." Shuichi smirked, earning giggles from Riku and Tiril.

"Yup. I'm back on the path of righteousness no-" Tiril broke off as a thought bombarded his skull, screaming its significance. He blurted it out instantly: "An army of tree nymphs has been summoned to Ichiban Castle."

"Tree nymphs? What the heck are those?" Shuichi groaned. "And who summoned them?" _I know I've heard of them before…_ The memory flashed in his brain rapidly:

"_Tatsuha! Oh, that mischievous child. He used to antagonize Mika's tree nymphs and they would shriek at him and whip their roots at his knees. He was as naughty as any boy, rash, immature… oh and all he had to do was flash that dazzling, manipulative smile of his and I'd soon forget the reason why he was in trouble in the first place."_ _Persephone couldn't help but chuckle._

"_I can picture him getting beat up by a group of nymphs."_ _Shuichi chortled, his voice rising with excitement._ _"I can't wait to tease him about it!"_

"Uh oh… I think I've figured out who's going to attack us." Shuichi gulped. "Seguchi Mika… Lord Lucifer's daughter… we're so screwed."

"W-what?" Tiril shouted out. "T-that's not good! We can't fight the Devil's daughter! Aw man, that is so not going to get us diplomacy points."

"Tree nymphs… what are they?" Riku pulled on Delia's watery tresses. Delia sang back at him and her voice raised a few octaves. "She says that tree nymphs only obey a strong master, someone who knows of Mother Nature."

"So basically a tree nymph is going to be like Delia… but more treelike?" Tiril asked cautiously. "And Seguchi-san's element should be earth, just like Shuichi's is water. Crap, how the heck are we supposed to beat her?"

"I don't know… how are we supposed to beat an army of nymphs?" Shuichi pulled on his hair. His fingers lowered to touch the silver ring hanging around his neck. Persephone told him to give it to Mika. But would he even get a chance? It didn't seem like Mika wanted to talk to him. People that summoned armies were generally past the "Let's Talk About It" stage.

Riku starting staring down at the water as the icy disk flew on. "Nee, Delia, what's that?" The brunet pointed down at the tiny flowers floating in the water below. Delia crooned back at him gently. "Oooh… water lilies? They're pretty!" Riku's attention was completely drawn to the beautiful flowers. He noticed that the further they flew, the more flowers appeared in the ocean. Maybe the plants liked this part of the sea.

The tiny demon gazed down at the flowers. When he closed his silver eyes, he felt as if he could feel the energy of the ocean roaring inside of him. _Something is wrong_, the waves were telling him. _Something is wrong._ His eyes flashed open as he heard Tiril's voice:

"-well… trees can be burned… and cut down." Tiril gestured towards the Blade of Lamentations, which was still embedded in the icy disk. "A couple tornadoes could do some damage, too."

"Yeah… I'm not sure if my water would help or harm them…" The half-demon continued on thoughtfully. "I could form the water into acid and burn them… jeez this is horrible! I don't want to fight Yuki's sister!"

"I don't think we have a choice." The Fallen replied with a shrug. "She clearly wants to fight us."

"Shuichi?" Riku cocked his head to one side.

"Yeah?" The pink-haired teen turned to the toddler.

"Can you-" Riku broke off as he spotted something up ahead. "It's the castle!"

Shuichi whirled around, practically falling off his icy disk to peer into the distance. For miles and miles, he saw ocean… but then… he saw the outline of a huge island. The island was covered with trees. And as he looked up and far away, he noticed towers pointing up towards the sky. He mentally urged his icy disk to fly faster and faster. This was it, this was it. They were he-

"Aaaaah!" Tiril let out a scream as he stared below.

Shuichi rapidly followed the boy's gaze. A gigantic swarm of green vines had erupted from the ocean and was ascending towards them. The green mass was twisting and coiling and was coated with white water lilies.

Delia flew off of the icy disk and hovered in the air. Shuichi rose to his feet, snatching the Blade of Lamentations out of the ice. "Tiril, give Riku your brooch." The half-demon formed twenty clones of himself using the water from the ocean below. Each clone had its own icy disk. He mentally commanded his twenty clones to each release five tiny bubbles into the air.

"What? Why?" Tiril protested.

"Do it now!" Shuichi snapped out. The vines were also embedded with thorns, the half-demon realized as the mass grew even nearer to them. He started pushing and pulling the tiny bubbles all around until they were all positioned exactly where he wanted them.

Tiril scowled, but gave in, putting his brooch around Riku's neck. "My barrier will protect you." The Fallen put his hands on the toddler's shoulders. "I'm letting you borrow this so don't lose it!"

"I won't!" Riku put a hand protectively over the trinket.

Tiril released his wing and lifted himself into the air, using the wind to propel him. He formed two big energy blasts, holding one in each hand.

Shuichi stole one look at Riku and frowned. In an instant, one more clone was hovering behind the tiny boy, purple eyes narrowed protectively. The clone picked a squirming Riku up, placing him on its icy disk. The icy disk expanded in width to accommodate the space that Tiril's barrier would take up.

Delia started singing to the ocean. The waves started becoming rougher and rougher. She watched in faint interest as more vines kept on ascending from the waves, but they were moving slowly, due to the force of the ocean.

The coiling mass of vines started shooting out razor sharp thorns at the group. The clones dodged most of them or encased them in ice while keeping their respective bubbles safe. Shuichi smacked a few of them away with his blade, while Tiril blew them away with a mighty gust of air. "Everyone! To the castle!" Shuichi shouted out, commanding his clones to keep on flying east.

The clone guarding Riku did a flip in the air and placed himself right in the middle of the other clones. Tiril flew in the front of the group, carrying his huge energy blasts in his hands. His orange eyes were locked onto Ichiban Castle, which was becoming more visible by the second, as was the island around it.

Shuichi and Delia remained behind, as did one-hundred teeny, tiny bubbles. The half-demon stayed perfectly calm as the green mass started to surround them. _I knew it wanted me… _The teen smiled. Just as one of the vines began wrapping around his ankles, he had his clones pop their respective bubbles. Delia simultaneously let out an angry shriek and the ocean below roared in return.

The noise was deafening. One-hundred water cyclones pummeled the mountain of vines back into the sea. Shuichi and Delia flew back to avoid the crashing and twisting water around them. The half-demon converted the water from his cyclones into acid and watched as the fire spread rapidly through the vines.

Delia began swaying her arms and the ocean pulled and pushed to match her movements. The seas parted below them to expose the entire mountain of vines that waited for them on the ocean floor. She kept the water away from the mountain so it wouldn't douse the fire nor stop the explosions.

Shuichi and his water nymph turned to each other at the same time and nodded. He withdrew all of his acid from the vines and she released her hold on the ocean, allowing it to crash down onto the pile of charred vines. He then changed the acid back into water and compressed it into a circular shape the size of a basketball. The dense water ball attached itself to his icy disk.

The duo soared side by side quickly, catching up with the Shuichi clones, Riku, and Tiril. Delia brought up the rear and Shuichi made his way to the front. _The force of one-hundred cyclones… I must use it wisely._ Shuichi frowned to himself.

Finally, they could see Ichiban Castle. It loomed in the distance, a beacon, a symbol of endings and beginnings. The island that encompassed the castle was huge and shapeless. Half of the island was covered with dense woods and the other half seemed to be covered with grass. Either way, Mika clearly had the advantage. But… the island _was_ completely surrounded by the Zeitgeist Sea.

As the group drew even nearer to the island, Tiril realized it first: "There's a barrier around the island!" The Fallen pointed straight ahead. Sure enough, a barrier with a greenish tint surrounded the area.

"Dammit! How are we supposed to get inside?" Shuichi growled out, commanding his icy disk to fly faster. He didn't stop until the barrier was an inch away from his nose. The half-demon slashed at the barrier once, but it didn't even leave a mark.

Tiril shot both of his energy blasts at the barrier. But as the smoke cleared, they saw that this had no effect either. The green-haired boy glared at the barrier. "What the heck?"

"Nee, look over there!" Riku pointed down past the barrier, past the wave of trees that greeted them. There was a wide clearing that was almost vacant… except for the woman standing by herself. The moment Riku's eyes locked with hers, he froze in fear, for he felt the malice behind her gaze.

She had brown hair that extended to the middle of her back, with bangs that curved around her narrow face. Her dark blue eyes were tinted with pale grey and a copper beret adorned her head. The brunette was tall, with fair skin and stood proudly. She was wearing a burgundy, long-sleeved jacket with golden buttons, a matching skirt, and matching heels. In her hands, she held a long wooden staff, carved from the bark of an aging tree. The top of the staff widened like a claw, protectively holding a glowing white orb.

"You will never step foot inside this barrier." The brunette spoke up, breaking her gaze with Riku to glare at Shuichi. "Not while this thing is with you. I must say, half-breed, I didn't think you would make it this easy for me. I never intended to let you inside of the castle. But you gave me a legitimate reason to deny you access."

"Why?" Shuichi smacked his blade against the barrier furiously. A tiny crack formed but it instantly vanished. _Why wouldn't she let me in? What did I do to her?  
_

"Ha! Fool, you cannot break MY barrier." The brunette threw back her head and laughed. "No one can."

"That's her." Tiril whispered. "Seguchi Mika. That's Yuki's sister." A black cloud appeared in the sky above them.

"Any barrier can be broken!" Shuichi narrowed his purple eyes. He commanded his clones to each create ten tiny bubbles. "Tiril, I need more!"

Tiril inhaled deeply, reaching into the recesses of his mind. That was where his power was, that was and always would be his greatest resource. He slowly willed more and more cumulonimbus clouds to appear.

Riku inched closer to his guardian, sweating under the heat of Mika's glare. Delia screeched angrily and began swaying her arms. A mighty ocean wave crashed up against the barrier, but it only shook the ground upon which Mika stood.

"Please, I don't want to fight you!" Shuichi banged on the barrier with his fist. "Can't we talk?" _I might as well try…_

"What is there to talk about?" Mika barked out, stamping her staff on the ground.

"I'm supposed to come here! My Mother is inside the castle, isn't she?" The half-demon pleaded. "I've been traveling for so long and so far… and all I want is to see my Mother again. That's all I want."

"Boy, are you stupid? I never intended to let you inside." Mika narrowed her eyes. "Your actions have only affirmed my beliefs. You are nothing but a harbinger of disorder. I will not allow you inside. And as for your Mother… she doesn't even know you're here."

"What? What do you mean?"

"She has been distracted with mountains of paperwork. And even if she did happen to notice that I'm gone, all she will be told is that I am _dealing with intruders_."

"I am coming inside and there is NOTHING you can do about it. You can't keep me from my Mother! I haven't seen her for years!"

"Why should I let you inside? You **DARE** bring him here? And you think I'll let _you_ in my home, you pathetic excuse for a half-breed?"

Shuichi bit his lip angrily. "No one saw fit to tell us WHY we couldn't bring him!" _What is this feeling I have?_ Shuichi could feel the hatred seething out of Mika. It was floating towards him, trying to choke and consume him. But why… why did she hate him so? And it wasn't just hatred for him, but for Riku, too.

"That _thing_ carries the blood of a traitor, a monster, a fiend!" Mika Seguchi hissed out, her eyes locked onto Riku's terrified face. "I will dispose of him first."

"You will do no such thing!" Shuichi roared, his eyes flashing. "Why would you want to kill him? He's JUST a little boy!"

"You don't know! You honestly don't know!" Mika let out a bark of laughter. "And you think you deserve my brother? You think love him? What do you know of his past? You know nothing! If you knew, you would not have brought that thing here. My brother clearly didn't trust you enough to tell you."

Shuichi turned to Riku. "What does she mean by that?" The half-demon frowned. "Do you know Yuki?"

"N-no… I didn't do anything!" Riku stammered out.

Shuichi inhaled deeply. He felt it again. Mika's hatred for him… he gripped the Blade of Lamentations tighter. The emotions were staggering. There was so much coursing through him right now it nearly drove him mad. But the strongest feeling of all was the anger he felt at being kept from his Mother. What gave her the right to do so?

"Ohmygod…" Tiril gasped out in shock, looking at Riku in surprise. "Ohmygod!"

"Tiril, what? What is it?" Shuichi demanded, jolted from his thoughts, his eyes widening as he noticed the look Tiril was giving Riku. It was the same look everyone else had been giving the toddler, that look of disgust.

"His father _raped_ Yuki!" Tiril pointed at the sandy-haired toddler. Riku's eyes filled with tears and his chin quivered.

"What…" The teen whispered out, looking at Tiril in disbelief. "What did you just say?" Delia flew over to the toddler and put a graceful arm around his shoulders.

Tiril shook his green head. "It all makes sense now. That's why everyone hates him."

Shuichi swallowed thickly, unable to think for a moment. He felt like he was lost, like he was frozen in time. He couldn't picture anyone hurting Yuki. Rape was… rape was it was horrible. It was one of the cruelest acts that could be done to a living thing. He couldn't believe it. Someone had taken advantage of Yuki, broken the blonde's trust, and and…

Tears fell down Shuichi's face before he could stop them. How could someone do that to Yuki? How could they? He could feel it, the pain and anger filling his body. It was going to take over him, to consume him. He wanted to destroy something, anything, everything. He wanted justice and revenge. Mika's hatred mixed in with his own and raced through his veins, stabbing his heart, his soul, his mind, anywhere it could reach.

"Do you see now? Do you understand? Throw that thing back into the ocean and let the monsters feast upon his corpse!" Mika growled out. "If you prove yourself to me, I might allow you inside Ichiban Castle. Get rid of that spawn."

Shuichi slowly turned to Riku. The toddler instantly burst into tears at the intense gaze behind those purple eyes. "P-please I'm s-s-s-sorry I d-d-didn't h-hurt him I d-d-don't k-k-know and I'm sorry myDaddyhurthimIdon'tknow w-why…" Riku scrunched his eyes shut as he felt a rush of energy pass over him. He was sure that it was Shuichi, coming to kill him. But when he cracked open his eyelids, he saw Shuichi soaring at the barrier instead.

_Murder a child? NEVER._ The half-demon was enraged. He had been tricked, fooled from the start. He could read her emotions. Whether he killed Riku or not, she wouldn't let him in. So he would have to break in. It was never about Yuki or Riku or his Mother. It was about him. Everything else was irrelevant.

Shuichi held his sword back, not even realizing that the hieroglyphics were glowing madly. The eye was fixated on the barrier, widening in anticipation as the half-demon poured more of his pain and anger into the blade, releasing not only his emotions, but those he felt coming from Mika. "**LAMENT**!" He cried out, thrusting his blade right through the transparent barrier, watching in satisfaction as it shattered and cracked.

Mika gawked in shock as her barrier fell to pieces around her. Fractures and fissures ran all down the sides of the barrier. A sound akin to shattered glass rang through the land. The greenish shards started fading away into nothingness. _That half-demon just ruptured my barrier with one attack…_ The demon bit her lip in frustration. She had underestimated the boy.

"Is that your answer? You would betray my brother?" Mika seethed out, not betraying how surprised she was. "I will NOT let you near him."

"You cannot punish the son for the sins of the father." Tiril uttered, his orange eyes holding an ageless wisdom that temporarily unnerved the brunette.

"This has _nothing_ to do with Yuki." Shuichi spat back. "I can feel your hatred for me. You've got a problem with _me_, let's settle it! Don't use Yuki as an excuse to attack me! Don't use Riku as an excuse to hate me!" The half-demon hovered in the air above the female.

"Oho… you're smarter than I thought, half-breed." Mika grinned maliciously. "Shall we begin then, boy?"

* * *

**Hii! Hope you liked it! I did my best, but I'm not entirely satisfied with Part 1. I haven't started working on Part 2 yet, but I will. Thank you to my reviewers: **The Lady Caroline Muze, ichika7walkure, chocowilliams, RiverSakina, Delia, & lilgurlanima**! And to those of you who added Prediction to your favorites and/or alert list, I really appreciate it :) **

**I've decided that Hiroshi & Ayaka's daughter will be named _Dahlia_. Runner up gets the middle name?**

**Feedback is always welcome! Thanks for reading! Oh and if you found any mistakes, kindly let me know :)  
**


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